


Equestria Girls: Senior Year

by Kelseyalicia



Series: Equestria Girls School Years [2]
Category: My Little Pony: Equestria Girls
Genre: Abusive Parents, Adopted, Alternate Universe - High School, Break Up, Coming of Age, Dating, Diary/Journal, Driving, Dry Cleaners, Family Drama, Friendship/Love, Graduation, Growing Up, Loss of Powers, Multi, Parallel Universes, Prom, Protective Parents, Rape, References to Drugs, Relationship Advice, Relationship Problems, Romance, School Year, Secrets, Senior year, Slice of Life, Stalker, Voice Acting, couples, fashion - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 18:15:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 21
Words: 59,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29086716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kelseyalicia/pseuds/Kelseyalicia
Summary: The Equestria Girls story continues as the girls enter their senior year! They all vow to make this the best year of their lives so far, but can you say that as their magic slowly starts to fade? Read and find out what's going on!
Relationships: Applejack (My Little Pony: Equestria Girls) & Original Character(s), Crystal Prep Twilight/Original Character, Fluttershy/Original Character, Pinkie Pie/Cheese Sandwich (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic), Rainbow Dash/Soarin' (My Little Pony), Rarity/Original Male Character(s), Sunset Shimmer & Crystal Prep Twilight Sparkle (My Little Pony: Equestria Girls), Sunset Shimmer/Original Character(s)
Series: Equestria Girls School Years [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2134005
Comments: 4
Kudos: 1





	1. End of Summer

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, I figured I add a few more of my old stories from FF to A03. 
> 
> Inuyasharocks01862 did the picture.
> 
> Voices of the OC Boyfriends
> 
> Fledge Dreamwings-Dan Green- famous as Atem and Yugi- doing Atem's voice
> 
> Sunrise Aglow- Michael Sinterniklass- Mahad- Yugioh
> 
> Butch Coleman- Greg Crisp- Caleb- WITCH
> 
> Rusty Crust -Vic Mignogna Edward Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist (English dub)
> 
> Suave Debonair- Sean Schemmel- Lucario in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (English Dub)

It was a gorgeous, tranquil, lazy August afternoon. A group of young teenagers had gathered around a beautiful secluded countryside lake with an equally beautiful meadow to take pleasure in the day.

Obviously, the group of 14 were all the best of friends as well, in love with their partners just from a glance. It was also obvious from a glance that these weren't your average everyday young teenagers in love and enjoying a beautiful lazy summer day in the countryside for fun and romance.

Because clearly, _eight of them were more magical then the rest!_ Eight of them, which was all seven of the girls and one of the handsome boys, were dressed right now dressed in some magical armor-like clothes, and they're looking not quite human, vaguely like ponies to be honest and not to mention they had what appeared to be _real magic powers!_

Six out of seven girls' significant others were engaging them in fun and creative ways that were meant as both a way to have fun and romance at the same time and use their new abilities, whilst the remaining two who were already a couple were challenging each other.

"Okay, Jackie?" called out a tall, rugged cowboy with longish auburn hair to the blond, green-eyed girl, "Let see how strong you are today! Can you lift those fallen trees we log rolling on earlier today? The ones I bested you on by the way?" he teased his girlfriend.

"Butch, don't you lie!" the blond replied as she lifted the three logs out of the water with one hand and put them down, and chided him again, "You only won because you tripped me! You know better than a boy! You know I hate a liar!"

"Oh, I know, Jackie! You are the element of Honesty, after all! But you have to admit. I couldn't _honestly_ trip you up to get you in my arms today with how you've been working too hard lately! I needed some excuse to get you in my arms!"

"Well, okay, I'll admit, Granny Smith is right. I get too caught up on working on the farm too many times and forget to have fun," giggled the girl whose real name was Applejack. Butch was the only one who called her "Jackie" and wouldn't let anyone else call her that.

She punched him to the shoulder that knocked him over, and she looked embarrassed and said, "Sorry y'all!"

"It's alright, Jackie, I like it. My girl is a strong woman!" he laughed as she helped him off the ground and handed him his hat backed and they smiled. Then had to duck as someone zoomed over their heads. "DASH!" they yelled.

"Sorry! Soarin! Shoot them now!" a rainbow-haired girl yelled from the sky above, and her boyfriend did as she asked and started to first kick soccer balls at her. Then, when he ran out of that ammunition, he switched to his next set of ammunition, which was footballs, Frisbees, and finally even a set of arrows.

The girl was able to bob, weave, and doge with grace, speed, and fluidly. She was really showing off and crowing quite loudly as she actually caught the arrows in midair.

"Oh yeah! I'm so awesome! Who's rad? Who's bad? Who the one who will never be had?! Oh yeah, the awesome Rainbow Dash!" she cried delightfully as she did a stellar acrobatic show in which all the girls glared at her, and she blushed and calmed down and looked embarrassed.

"Oh, okay yeah, maybe a little piggy headed at the moment," she admitted as she started to descend to the ground only to be knocked over a diamond shaped energy shield making her fall flat on her butt, which everyone laughs at her.

Soarin hurried to help his girlfriend regain some of her lost dignity, but it was too late for that, but she growled and gazed her pink eyes at her friend with the lush royal purple hair who was acting like she was so innocent.

"Ha, Ha, Rarity! You're supposed to be the one with some class!" shot her friend at the pretty girl who was now whispering something to her boyfriend with the dark blue hair wearing a French beret. They talked for a few moments in French apparently about Rainbow Dash's ego before Rarity spoke in English.

"Darling, class and good manners, _Moi has,_ you on the other hand? Don't have such an exceeding display of boorish manners and your rather swelled head from our practicing since leaving Camp Everfree over a month and a half ago.

It would do well for someone who knows for loyalty also to have a good dose of humility, Rainbow Dash."

"I do agree with my Rarity, Rainbow Dash. She does make a fair point. You've gotten a tad bit more big-headed since we started coming to Lake Parime, so you girls and Fledge could continue to hone your new powers from Camp Everfree. We'd all still hang out and have dates at the same time," Rarity's French college boyfriend Suave Debonair pointed out truthfully but kindly so Rainbow Dash didn't feel insulted.

"He is making sense, Dash, just saying!" her boyfriend agreed as he held up his hands in defense, and she sighed. "Alright, I can agree I was being a jerk and letting it go to my head again. You can bring me back down to the ground."

"Glad to hear it. Now let's try and make sure we all know how to be well manner…ahh! PINKIE PIE!" cried Rarity as an explosion knocked everyone in the group ground.

"Oops! Sorry! Jelly beans?" the girl Pinkie Pie asked as she stuffed her face with the large bag of jelly beans she and her boyfriend Cheese Sandwich had been stuffing their faces with, and she'd unintentionally made explosives. Pinkie still hadn't managed even now to get full control of her new magical power of turning things into explosives.

"Pass! I'm trying to watch my figure," Rarity said as politely as the others made some excuse for not wanting to put a potential bomb in their mouth.

"Pinkie Pie, please be more careful, you nearly dropped your jelly beans on the den of a mother fox and her kits. Let me and Rusty led them to a safer place before you accidently drop another one, alright?" a light pink-haired girl with a soft voice requested as she turned to her boyfriend.

Rusty's clothes and coloring were very rustic and seemed very earth, so he and this girl seemed well matched for being nature lovers, and both seemed shy and soft spoken such a perfect match. So the girls watched as their friend talked to the animals and helped move the foxes to a safer location away from the temporary danger they're in.

"You're so gifted with animals, Fluttershy, it's only natural you be given the gift of gab!" Pinkie Pie squealed loudly.

"Thank you, Pinkie Pie, but then again, all the gifts we received from Camp Everfree and the gems reflected both our elements and who were are on the inside, don't they?"

"I'd agree with that assessment, and they do go with what we know our pony counterparts are talented in back in Equestira! It's so interesting to test these hypotheses and learn how magic works in both worlds and how again we are the same and different from who we are here and there!" cried a girl with two strips through her hair, a pink one and light purple one.

She tested out how well her new power of telekinesis was working along with her boyfriend, whose battle armor seemed similar to his girlfriend, only his hairstyle was like the only other girl who hadn't spoken yet his shoes were winged sneakers.

He was working on his new power of astral projection as he saw how far he could go with what appeared his set limit of seven projections and test what each projection could do.

The two of them seemed to have a great deal of fun and very much in love with how they tested and helped one another through their training and honing their skills since Camp Everfree.

"Don't push yourselves too hard! It would be best if you didn't push yourselves too hard again. We couldn't get you to wake up for two hours last time you push yourself too hard, remember, Fledge?" reminded a boy with bright orange and purple hair, and his girlfriend with bright red and gold hair looked at the girl with the same concern.

"Yeah, Twilight, we already know what it was like when I nearly died. We don't need another friend to nearly died because we know miracles like lightning don't strike twice!"

The couple stopped what they're doing, looked at the other couple who were their best friends, took a deep breath, and sighed. "We're sorry if we worried you, and you're right. We don't need another accident." Fledge started to say when Twilight turned towards Sunset.

"Especially not since we almost lost you, Sunset. I mean, it nearly killed all of us losing you! And if we didn't have you..."

Everyone was hushed as they thought back to events just before summer vacation when they'd been learning about the other two Magics. They all knew and were well endowed with the Magic of Friendship since it was what gave them their powers in the first place.

They first got their powers and their magic when Princess Twilight Sparkle from Equestira had followed Sunset back to their world to Canterlot High at the beginning of their junior year.

She'd taught all the students the Magic of Friendship and reunited the girls, given them back the Elements of Harmony. They stopped Sunset, who'd become a demon, and she'd begun the start of her journey from redemption.

Princess Twilight had gone home and only returned when they'd needed her to help stop some bad girls from Equestira who were using music for evil at the school.

After that, they met their own world's Twilight, who didn't know anything about friendship, and coming full circle, Sunset had not only saved her life when she'd become corrupted by the same magic that had once corrupt her she'd taught her what Twilight's other self had taught her.

Then they spent the rest of their junior year having a lot of fun doing plenty of things, but the most important thing they'd learn were two more Magics. The Magic of Love by all them finding their true loves and Sunset learning the Magic of Family with a great deal of help from this world's Twilight.

Sunset had lived with a foster family since leaving Equestria. A couple named Sunfire Daydreamer and Yin Yang. She did love them very much, and after the events of the Fall, Formal really felt ashamed for how she'd treated them but couldn't forgive herself for it.

Though throughout the remaining parts of their junior year and Sunset nearly dying when she was about to win the Equestrian Games and that both the Human World and Equestria worked together to save her life, Sunset was finally able to let go of the last of her guilt, forgive herself and call her human parents, "Mom and Dad."

They'd legally adopted her before the end of the school year, and ever since then, Sunset seemed to be happier than ever. Like she truly was home at last and had found what she couldn't find in Equestira.

Still, it really showed what actually mattered in either world. The life of a friend something you couldn't live without and could never be replaced. As everyone finished recalling these events, they decided they'd practiced their powers enough, and the girls who nicknamed themselves the Mane Seven and Fledge all touched the gems that gave them their power-up forms and powered down.

No longer were they their power warrior human pony hybrid forms but just their normal teenager forms. They're just normal kids once more. Finally settling down, everyone gathered around on a large blanket and dug into the feast that the boys had put together for their girlfriends made up of all their favorite foods.

Sunrise had gone truly the extra mile for his girl Sunset who had a slight quirk about her. The girls didn't learn about her till they'd met her parents. He handed her a homemade bento box full of Japanese food he'd prepared himself.

" _Arigato, Hinode" (Thank you, Sunrise)_

" _Anata wa kangeidesu, san setto.) (You're welcome, Sunset)_

Both of Sunset's human parents were extremely intelligent as well as gifted individuals. Her mother, Sunfire, was incredibly talented in the arts and music whether her father Ying Yang was skilled in academics, especially mathematics. He was exceptionally talented in the culinary arts as well.

Though both shared a knack for languages and her father was most fluent in Japanese, he often spoke at home. Though they'd speak both about eight languages all together as well read Braille and do sigh language, which meant they're polyglots and had taught this all to their daughter.

Sunset, in turn, had, over the last three and half years, despite her previous bad behavior, learn to embrace the best of all her parents' interests and all they'd shared with her and had kept a very tight lid on her secret. So tight on her 'secret life' it wasn't till she actually took Twilight to her home that anyone ever found out she had parents or a home at all!

So that explained why she enjoyed a bento box from Sunrise and thanking him in Japanese since it is the thing her father treats her with for doing a good job.

It was all very romantic at the moment as the boys were placing each delicious bite of food directly on their girlfriend's tongue, and she giggled with each bite she indulged in. Then when it came to dessert, the girls had made all the boys' favorites, and they're the ones placing the bits on their tongues this time.

As the last bite was finished, they all smiled and fell into a romantic kiss and held it for a good long while only stopping when they need to breathe. Looking out at the beautiful scenery, everyone collectively sighed and wished allowed every day could be just like this blissful and perfect.

However, they knew their summer of fun and romance was soon to end, even if another exciting adventure awaited them in two and half weeks—the beginning of the next school year. For everyone except Suave, it was the start of their last year of high school! They'd be seniors!

And needless to say, it was like reaching the final frontier. One last adventure before they really faced the unknown and took the plunge into the real world. They'd no longer be girls after this year. They'd be women next year when they'd got to college!

There was so much to think about this year. It was like a rite of passage in many ways. So many special things to think about. There was their SATS, Drivers ED, Prom, and most important, Graduation! But all the other little things, of course.

But what was most important to think would their friendship and magic only get stronger now that they'd come in their last year of CHS, and what would happen to it once they left the place it had come into the world?

When they turned to ask Sunset about this, she shrugged a bit and looked a bit uncomfortable. Before summer vacation had begun, they'd gotten an unexpected visit from Princess Twilight and her husband, Prince Fledge.

Princess Celestia had sent them to one check on Sunset and two to crown her a Princess! But as Sunset lived in this world, her official title was Ambassador of Equestria and Emissary of Friendship.

From what they did understand so far and what Sunset did understand as she was playing with the cutie mark barrette that was her disguised crown that her duties were the following.

To keep communications between the two worlds open. 2. To understand, protect and keep the balance of magic all safe and under control on this side of the portal. 3. To make sure the Magic of Friendship shined brightly. 4. To visit Equestira every once in and while and give reports on how things were going on this side of the portal.

So far, Sunset had only gone to Equestira a week after they'd gone camping Everfree to attend a special ceremony to welcome Princess Twilight and Prince Fledge's newborn son Prince Dream Magic to Equestria. It'd be more than a shock to girls to find out not only was Princess Twilight married but expecting a baby. The shock for Equestira was the baby was the first natural-born _male Alicorn!_ Like Twilight sister-in-law Princess Cadence having giving birth to her Alicorn daughter Flurry Heart, they'd suspect that it made logical sense Twilight's foal be an Alicorn, though no pony thought it is a son!

Right now, Sunset gave another sigh and said in a tired voice, "Well, it's been a long summer for all of us, and yeah, my new royal duties are to come to play before the school year begins, so maybe I'll get us some answers to a few of our questions before our senior year starts.

I got a letter from Princess Twilight in my journal last night requesting my presence this weekend in Equestira for a meeting with all the royals of Equestria at Princess Twilight's castle."

"You're not gonna miss doing the Back to School fun stuff we're planning on doing, right? You're only gonna be gone this weekend, right, Sunset?" Sunrise asked her concerningly.

She gazed into his beautiful ocean blue eyes and smiled and nodded assuringly. "I'll be back Monday, Sunrise, don't fret. Princess Twilight assures me they wish to tell me what I expect with my new duties as a Princess, given I'm a unique Princess. Plus, let me know how things are going in Equestira, is all."

"Well, if that's all, I think we can live with you being gone for two days. But when you get back Monday, we best get started immediately on what needs to be done with what little time we have left to do. After all, a stitch in time saves nine, and we don't have a lot of time left to do much stitching!" Rarity spoke up, looking up from a sketchbook where she'd been busy sketching in every time they'd come here.

"Rarity? I hate to ask but are you planning on dressing us up like your own personal Barbie doll collection or something?" Applejack inquired with a shudder.

"Well," she asked, peeking over the red glasses she wore when designing, "It's just _it is our last year at CHS._ I thought we could all use some new looks—something to make one last statement and really give as a fashionable bon voyage to our beloved CHS.

Also, darlings, Principal Celestia did change the dress code slightly. So I've been going over tons of ideas for all of us, and I mean _all of us._ Not just us wonderful girls but all our lovely lovers too. I was hoping to surprise you with the new outfits if they met with your approval. First, that is," she cringed a bit as she blushed carmine.

"It is living up to your element to be generous enough to make us all new outfits for our last year at CHS or whatever school will be attending, Rarity. That's very sweet of you," Twilight complimented her graciously, which made Rarity smile her million-dollar smile.

"Oh, Twilight, darling, it really was nothing. I can whip up five different seasons in a whole afternoon. Making clothes for my six best friends and the beaus is the least I can do since we are all bonded together in both the Magic of Friendship and Love!"

"Well, I find it a very kind gesture, Rarity, though I feel I must ask while he's sleeping in the truck. Did you make something for Spike as well? Since we don't need the poor doggy feeling left out." Fluttershy reminded everyone of Twilight's purple taking dog who'd gone to take a nap in Butch's pickup truck a couple of hours ago.

"Don't fret, Fluttershy. I did come up with a complete line of clothes for a favorite furry friend. I wasn't about to let him feel left out."

"Good thinking, Rarity. We don't need that puppy getting moppy and start making a fuss like some mother hen whose eggs never hatch!"

"Yeah, that be so un-awesome, and we don't need more people finding out he can talk either."

"So about we see these super fun cool doodles of yours?!"

"Pinkie Pie, please! Lay off the sugar rush for a moment! And have some respect for my work. They are not _doodles._ These are essential _designs."_

"Designs, doodles they're still something you drew with pencil on a piece of paper. Does it really matter whatever you call them?" Cheese Sandwich asked with a shrug as he flipped his curly mop of hair back.

"Let's us not argue, my friends. Rarity, my sweet princess, why don't you show us your hard work? And let us not quarrel over the silly words of others choosing?" her handsome prince interject, trying his best to avoid an argument.

"You're right as always. A fight avoided is a fight won. Alright, these are my preliminary works. I've done at least three designs for each of us, which includes myself. So please pick which one you like the best. Then next weekend you can come to my house, and we'll tailor them to fit exactly everyone. How does that sound?"

"Sound like the perfect way to end the summer and not have to go back to school shopping with the 'rents who always buy awful clothes. I mean, my parents can be embarrassing in ways you have cannot imagine!" Rainbow Dash confessed while blushing pink.

"I know what you mean, Dash. When I came over for dinner the first time, your dad practically smothered me and then couldn't help showing me practically every photo album of all your childhood 'triumphs.'" Soarin' looked like it been one long and very embarrassing night.

"Please don't elaborate on it, Soarin' you promised!" she hissed to him in an undertone, and he squeezed her hand to let her know he wasn't going to.

"Yeah, I think we can all agree family can be a bit embarrassing or get on your nerves on your time. Take my brother Zephyr for example. His narcissism and freeloading really, to put it politely, gets me peeved at times," Fluttershy admitted with a sad sigh as she collected the cups.

"I didn't even know you had a brother, Fluttershy, and we've been dating a long time now," Rusty admitted as he was helping her clean up the dishes from the picnic.

"He's like the black sheep of the family, and he also not usually brought up around my friends since he once made a pass at Rainbow Dash and she um… well let us just say it didn't end well for my little brother," Fluttershy whispered, and Rusty got what she was saying.

"Well, let's hurry it along and get the truck loaded up before the sunsets. Not you, Miss Sunset!" Butch called out to the confused girl. "I meant I think we can stay long enough to watch the sunset," he started to clarify as they're all working swiftly to load up his silver Chevrolet Silverado.

"Though after we're done watching the sunset, we better hightail it back to Canterlot before your daddies tan our hides for having you ladies in the woods at night!" the rugged cowboy finished as they hurried to finish loading the back of the trunk.

"Well, I don't have a daddy to worry about, but Granny and Big Mac will be more than willing to tan your hide in place of one, Butch, so let's finish up fast, folks!" Applejack barked, and the girls and Fledge used their magic to get the job done.

In 15 minutes, they're done and just in time to watch a rather magical sunset, which they all enjoyed with one more romantic kiss. Before they hopped back into the car, all the boys except Fledge and Sunrise had a gift for their girls.

Each girl was given a special necklace token of their true love's devotion and symbol of their love. But before they placed them around their necks, something strange happened. The gems that had been necklaces since Camp Everfree suddenly glowed brightly and shot off their necks, and shimmered in the air for a moment. Then morphed into rings and zoomed onto the girls and Fledge's fingers!

Looking at their new rings, the band was solid gold, and the gems had morphed to match the cutie marks of their pony's selves, and they're glowing brightly.

Everyone just shrugged and nodded silently as if to say the same thing. No one understood how magic worked in the human world, and it was best not to question it and just let it do what it wanted and figure it out as you went along.

The girls and boys climbed into the truck with that shared silent thought, which finally woke up a confused Spike. Who was like, did he miss the whole party? And Twilight like she fills him in later as they hurried home and wondering what this coming year's adventure be like for all of them?


	2. The Princess and Ambassador of Friendship Visit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Voice Actors
> 
> Sunset's parents:
> 
> Sunfire Daydreamer: Kotono Mitsushi- Neo Queen Serenity- Sailor Moon Crystal (I don't know if the actress can speak English but if she could she be the prefect voice and since Sunset's parents' speak a lot of Japanese at home this be perfect too)
> 
> Yin Yang: Kenji Nojima- King Endymion - Sailor Moon Crystal-(Same deal as his wife in terms of voice choice)

One of the most lavish apartments founded within the Canterlot Palace Gardens' gated community, Sunset was busy trying to pack for her weekend trip to Equestria. But the packing was being more hinder by her parents though they're trying to help.

"Mom! Please! I'm gonna be an Alicorn in Equestira, for god sakes! I'm not really gonna need to be wearing a sweater! And anyway, how do you expect one to fit over my wings anyway?" Sunset asked in an exasperated tone to her mother Sunfire as her mother was busying herself packing her daughter's duffel bag.

Sunfire looked up from her packing to meet her daughter's aqua green eyes with her royal blue ones and sighed heavily with her head hung a moment.

"Okay, you've made a point, sweetheart. Still, what do you expect a mother to do when her 17-year-old daughter is going away? Even if she's a Princess? Even if we don't fully understand all this?" inquired her mother with another sigh, still looking worrisome as she gazed over from the other side of her daughter's bed.

Sunset looked over from her side of the bed at her beautiful mother, trying to think of the right words to say in this peculiar situation. Sunfire was as beautiful as her adopted daughter indisputably. What was even stranger was how truly alike Sunset and Sunfire truly were in both looks and personality in so many ways.

Both had striking red hair, but Sunset's hair had golden streaks. Sunfire's hair was short with one long braid of fuchsia that she wore on the left side. And again, Sunset's eyes were aqua green to her mother royal blue.

However, they did look. Otherwise, they're a birth mother and daughter with the same facial features and body type. Sunfire was just slightly taller than Sunset was all.

As for personality? Well, both again were highly intelligent, extremely passionate about their respective interests, relished in learning about a wide variety of topics, were fiercely devoted to those they cared about, they're determined once they set their minds to something, and finally, both were very empathic, loving and understood a great deal about forgiveness. There other things that made them like a true mother and daughter as well, on the other hand, were the basic to think about at the moment. It was straightforward for the both of them to forget at times. They weren't 'true' mother or daughter even though they knew blood didn't matter as much as love did.

Sunset's mother, Sunfire, suffered from PCOS or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, which made her infertile, which was why she and Yin Yang had agreed to become her foster parents. That and because that was the kind of people they were.

Of course, Sunset had been nothing short of a bitch when she first arrived in the human world, which she still was ashamed of to this day. Nevertheless, her parents had never given up on her, and it was because Sunset was now the person she was today with some help from Princess Twilight and her friends, of course. Her parents were a major source of influence as well, and she wouldn't discount them ever!

Sunfire and Yin Yang were again exceedingly talented plus gifted people. They ran the most successful advertising agency in Canterlot, which is why they could afford to live in a gated community and this grand apartment. Therefore they're very well off; on the other hand, not conceited or snobby at all. They're modest and humble and many other things.

"Sunset? Honey, are you okay?"

"Huh? Aww!"

"Sorry, you seemed lost in a fog a bit. Are you sure you're okay, sweetheart? A lot has happened to you in a short time. Are you sure you've to go? Do you have to go alone? Can I not come with you?" her mother asked her with concern in her voice as she toyed with her pink amulet.

Sunset found herself again looking deeply into her mother's eyes before giving her new outfit a once over. Her parents had recently started to wear new clothes saying it was time for a fresh start now that they're beginning a new chapter in their lives.

Her mother's new outfit was a soft pink V-neck long-sleeved shirt with light turquoise slacks, both trim in light green with purple flats. Her earrings that resembled her name were her pink crystal necklace; the family heirloom still was the same.

Sunset was on the verge of saying something when the door to her bedroom was swung open, unexpectedly scaring both women and someone yelling, " _Gomenasai! Watashi no tsuma ya musume o kowagara seru tsumori wa arimasendeshita!" (Sorry! Didn't mean to frighten my wife or daughter!)_

" _Onmyo! Jikai nokku shite kudasai!" (Yin Yang! Please knock next time!)_

" _Papa! Watashi ga shuppatsu suru mae ni watashi o korosou to shite imasu ka?" (Dad! Are you trying to kill me before I leave?!)_

"Sorry again for scaring you both," apologized Sunset's father as he bowed apologetically, and the two women whose heartbeats return to normal said together, "You're forgiven."

"Thank you. Now how is the packing going? And I hope you saved room for my additions. I don't trust the food on that side of the portal, and I'm not trusting my 17-year-old daughter's health to food cooked no offense by a dragon who eats gemstones."

"Dad! Please!" Sunset was now looking like she was about scream in frustration or threw a tantrum though the most she did was raise her voice to a tone of anger. "You and Mom are making a bigger deal out of this then need be! I'll be gone for less than two days, really! You know I was born a unicorn! I used to run on four feet and use magic and all that! I really can't believe I'm even having this conversation! It's beyond ridicules!" and let out a scream of frustration at the end of this.

"Well, as Shakespeare wrote in one of his more brilliant plays _Hamlet, "There is more thing in heaven and earth, Horatio, then dreamt up in your philosophy"_ So this isn't that crazy, Sunset," her father pointed out in his clever way.

His daughter, whose face was still red with frustration, turned to make a face and pinch the bridge of her nose before looking hard at her dad before telling him in a slightly calmer tone.

"Dad, you are one very unique individual for sure. No-one else could do what you can do. Only you're able to combine Shakespeare's words with the teachings of Confucius's, whilst taking the best of all Oriental cultures, then blend that with the hippy lifestyle and still come out an academic genius!

You are a one-of-a-kind Dad! No-one else could do all that, and even though you are black and white in your coloring and dress style, there is nothing black and white in how you see the world or how you think. You see way outside the box and beyond all the colors of the rainbow! Really you do!" she finished in a more impressed voice and seemed to be losing her frustration, which was being replaced with admiration.

Her father's lovely indigo eyes twinkled with pride and happiness as he smiled at his most precious treasure. "I'm so honored by your words and glad you find me so wise and insightful. I'm also rather impressed with your finding your own insightfulness, daughter," he congratulated her as he flipped his long black and white braided ponytail over his left shoulder, nearly missing his hoop earring.

It was true Yin Yang was like the symbol he was named for dressed in a new black and white outfit that wasn't like the hippy outfit he'd worn last year. It was more in line with the Oriental cultures he was fascinated by—however, the material was made from things found in hippy clothes.

As a result, once more, he'd found a way to blended things together, as was his nature and his own personal philosophy. Yin Yang believed in taking the best of everything, a little bit of wisdom from everything that the world had to offer, then mixing it for a unique blend.

He believed strongly that you'd become more enlightened by doing this, but the result would be the world would become a much better place in all ways for all people and each person's mind, body, and spirit.

Sunset did believe what her parents had taught her and enjoyed learning about their personal passions as they'd helped her explore her own in this world. This how she'd learn to play guitar so well thanks to her mother's love of music and thanks in part to both her parents teaching she was the new element of Empathy. They'd also let her take horseback riding lessons, which she was the best at, though if they let back on wasn't something they had talked about yet.

The young girl felt tired and worn, so she just sighed before she collapsed on her bed, where her mother began to stroke her hair soothingly and hummed to her. "It's alright, sweetheart. We know we may be a little overwhelming, as have the events of the last couple of months."

"It's all been overwhelming, Mom," her daughter murmured with her eyes shut tightly as she tried to free her mind of all the intense memories of last year.

Her father pulled up the computer chair and started to talk softly to her and began to talk to her through the meditation steps they did when her stress levels got too much.

It wasn't easy to listen to her father about clearing one's mind and cleansing yourself of negative emotions when her new powers of empathy and telepathy kept intruding. Still, she tried to relax and concentrate on what he was telling her to do.

She got a little extra help when she felt someone soft and cuddly curl up next to her, which helped release her negative energy. Finally, she sat up and petted her beautiful red and golden cat Daybreak after completing her mediation exercise.

"You're so much more than my pet, Daybreak," she told the cat as she hugged her tightly to her chest. "Your name is to represent the beginning of the new me and my path to the person I've become," she cuddled the cat a moment longer before looking at her parents with tears in her eyes and spoken to them in a broken voice.

"I know the _real reason_ you're making a fuss over me going to Equestria for the weekend."

"Of course, we're making a fuss, Sunset. We're your parents, and your our daughter. What other reason do we need?" her mother asked her, and her father nodded. "Yes, what parents would we be if we didn't worry about our child?"

Sunset shook her head and then looked up at them wisely then spoke the real unsaid reason. "I know you both as well as you know the real me before I knew the real me.

You're worried not just out of parental concerns or the fact I nearly died a few months ago. It's more than that. You are genuinely concerned about my own fears, doubts, and worries about being made a Princess. Even if it's something I wanted, you know I still feel if I really earn it, and can I even do it?

Though I also know no matter what I'm told this weekend in Equestira by the Princesses of Equestira, I can count on you both to help me in any way possible with my duties. Even though you'll remind me, I'm still just a kid and have to do the best I'm able to do, and all I can really do is that and trust my heart most of all.

Though the real thing that is worrying both of you is by Princess Celestia making me a Princess you're scared you'll lose me after you nearly lost me to death you're fear you'll lose me altogether by me ultimately choosing to return to Equestria to be a proper Princess."

Sunfire, Yin Yang, and even Daybreak didn't speak, only glanced at each other, but their silence spoke volumes, and Sunset continued knowing she was speaking the truths they dare not speak themselves.

"Mom? Dad? I just want to let you know something that will always be true. Equestira will always be the land I came from. It will be the place of my birth, and in that sense, it is my home. _However, my true home is always with you._

 _No-matter-what I will always, always return to you._ You took me in, feed me, clothed me, you never gave up on me, even when I was rotten to the core because you saw something in me I couldn't see in myself," she was crying now as she was getting this out.

"You loved and cared for me like I was your own flesh and blood. You never threw me out on the street despite the fact I deserved it more than anything else. I am who I am today because of you. I couldn't learn what I needed to learn in Equestira, but I learned what I needed to learn here, from not just Princess Twilight but the _both of you. You are my family, and I'll never leave you. I love you,"_ she managed to choke out the rest and to prove it, she reached into her shirt and pulled something out.

"This is the proof I'm forever yours and never gonna leave you, and this is where my heart calls home, and I belong," as she opened the golden heart locket, they'd made for her as her adoption gift. Her cutie mark carved on the outside on the left side was the picture taken after the Friendship Games with her friends on the right half was their family.

"So don't ever doubt, Mom and Dad, I'll leave you. I'm always coming home," and with that, the whole family embraced in a loving hug putting their fears and worries aside.

Shortly afterward, they finished packing and got into their Honda, and headed to the school. The portal to Equestira was hidden in the Wondercolt statue, and they knew it was best to do this before anyone saw anything suspicious.

Sunset hugged her parents one last time with tears in her eyes, and they reminded her they pick up ten clocks Sunday while she reminded them that Equestira and the Human World still flowed at slightly different time zones.

But according to her messages with Princess Twilight, they'd been working on the way to regulate time between the two worlds so Sunset would be back home in time.

Taking a deep breath, she crossed the threshold that separates the Human World from Equestira. It was always crazy to travel between worlds as you felt you're inside a psychedelic washing machine before it spat you out when you came out the other side.

Then it took getting used to the fact one minute you're standing erect on two legs and dressed in clothes, the next you're suddenly on four legs, have a tail and now wings that have a mind of their own!

No longer was she just Sunset Shimmer, a 17-year-old high school student. Now she was Princess Sunset Shimmer an Alicorn! And it wasn't a surprise to her that she fell flat on her face coming out of the portal though she didn't hear the laughter she expected from it.

Shaking her head, she looked around the portal room and saw no pony was there. She was surprised and looked at the special hourglass attach to the portal. They'd built after her last visit to regulate time between visits between worlds so the moon thing, as well as other time factors, wouldn't get in the way.

She could see right now the hourglass that had two different grains of sand flowing through it. Two grains of sand for the two oldest Princesses. When Princesses Celestia's gold sand was flowing, that meant someone from the human world was visiting, so the two times aligned that way. If Luna's blue sand was flowing, a pony was visiting the human world, and the time flow was reversed.

"Hello? Any pony here? It's me, Sunset? I'm here for the big meeting to discuss my duties? Hello?" she started trotting about and flexed her new wings again, and sighed. "I wanted these wings so badly before, and now I still wonder if I'm even worthy of them. Well, maybe if I fly around the castle a bit, I'll bump into somepony. They did know I was coming. So where are they?"

She was starting to flex her wings, only pausing to adjust her crown, about to take a deep breath that turns into a scream when someone popped literally in front of her, and she fell over.

Hearing laughter, then feeling a kiss on her nose, she shook herself and saw a small foal and realized it was Princess Twilight's son. Prince Dream Magic. He'd teleported in front of her and was now playing with her by popping around the room.

"You want to play? Well, I have babysat a few kids in my building. Let's play, Dream Magic!" and soon, the infant prince and the newest princess where playing both tag and hide and seek at the same time in the room. She eventually caught him and was tickling his raspberry belly, which he was giggling happily and loudly about.

Then finally, the doors burst open, and Sunset finally saw Princess Twilight and Prince Fledge, her best friend pony counterpart, and her own boyfriend's best friend counterpart.

"Dream Magic! So this is where you've been! Sunset! Sorry! We've been looking for Dream Magic the last hour lost track of time! We should've been here to welcome you! We are so sorry!" apologized Twilight who looked like she hadn't been sleeping well which likely she hadn't.

"It's alright, Twilight. Your son greeted me. I'm surprised at how well he can control his magic for only a month and a half old. And he's seemed to have grown some since his birth. Hello, Fledge. Nice to see you too."

"It's great to see you too, Sunset, and thanks for finding and entertaining our son. We'd put him down for his nap, and when we went to wake him, he'd flown the coop. We've been looking everywhere for him since then!" Fledge told her as he used his magic to recall his son and put him on his back.

"Dream Magic, you shouldn't worry Daddy and me like that! We turned the castle upside down looking for you! Do you know how much you scared us when we couldn't find you?" scolded his mother, who he giggled.

Sunset just watched, thinking about her own parents as Twilight and Fledge still scolded their son, though, in the end, they hugged and kissed him. "Come on, Sunset, I'll escort you to your room while Fledge takes Dream Magic back to his."

"Alright. It was a delight playing with you, little prince. Mind your parents they only want what's best for you and only do what they do because they love you," as she kissed the foal on his head and followed Twilight out and Fledge took their son down the opposite corridor.

They walked in silence for a few moments before Sunset came out and asked. "So how is motherhood, Twilight?"

"It's harder then I imagined, and I thought being pregnant for 11 months was bad enough. All the times I saved Equestria seemed like a cakewalk compared to the last month and a half. Dream Magic is, for the most part, well-behaved, but…"

"Let me guess? He wakes you up at all-night hours, so you don't get a decent night's sleep. Even if he's got a better grasp on his magic, then most babies are still random and crazy. Plus, he's got more energy than you ever thought possible, and you can't keep up?" she surmised with a sly look to her aqua eyes.

"How do you know all that? You described perfectly how I feel being a new mom, but how can you do that if you aren't a mom?" Twilight asked curiously.

"Well, I've babysat a few kids in my apartment building and high school. Every student is at some point given a special doll that is meant to mimic a real baby that you're supposed to take care of for 24 hours. Not only does your grade depend on it, but it is meant to really show you how much work a baby is."

"Wow, what else do they do in that world you know call home?"

"Well, as I did mention to you in a previous letter, my parents gave me the sex talk. It, not an easy task for parents to have with their kids to be perfectly honest, and let's just say more kids need to hear it."

"I think there a few things I don't really want to know about your world if I'm starting to get an inkling of what you mean by that, Sunset."

"Well, in the human world, Twilight, not everything is sunshine and rainbows. It's not always a happy ending or magic to make it a happy ending. There are evils you couldn't imagine in Equestira."

"Hmm. I guess every world has its evil. Humans and Ponies? How are we like, and how are we different? I'd really like to know that."

"Your other self just said that on our last practice date when we went to the lake to train with our powers and have romances."

"Hmm. Well, I guess sometimes we at least _think alike."_

"Well, I'm sure whatever happens in this coming school year, and whatever follows after that, I'm sure we'll learn a lot about our friends and ourselves either way."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's one thing that will be discussed at the meeting tomorrow. Here's your room. Why don't you get settled, and we'll get dinner ready? It will be just us for dinner."

"Sure, I'll be down in an hour for dinner."

"Okay, see you in an hour."

"Alright, oh Twilight?"

"Yes, Sunset?"

"It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you as well."

Sunset took her time getting ready for dinner as she readjusted once again to be a pony. The room was the same as before she'd stayed and figured this would always be her room.

Opening her saddlebag, she slowly began to use her magic to set up her room and then took a moment to look at her reflection in the full-length mirror. She found herself looking at a beautiful Alicorn Princess wearing a dazzling crown and the special hoof shoes and all that.

Though this is exactly what she wanted so long ago and sought to achieve, Sunset felt this was wrong and not her. It was so confusing after living so long as a human and knowing in her heart she was happier and at home in the human world and not Equestira. But she couldn't ever _say that to any pony here._

What pony would think anyone could honestly be happier in another world? Living in a world that was devoid of magic normal and that you walked on two legs and everything? She kept these thoughts to herself as she removed the jeweled collar from her neck that came with her princess look and replaced it with her locket that she would wear no matter what.

She then headed downstairs to the dining hall to eat with the Royal Family. It was fun and amusing, to say the least, as she got caught up with Princess Twilight and Prince Fledge as they told her what was going on in Equestria and how being parents was going. It was also amusing to watch Dream Magic himself. It wasn't that he was just being a baby but again, his way above average skills. It also seemed he'd taken a great liking to her as well.

Noticing this, Fledge asked if Sunset mind caring for Dream Magic for the night so he and Twilight could go to bed early since they hadn't got any sleep for about a week. Sunset had no problem watching him for a couple of hours and getting him to bed so the tired parents could get some extra sleep.

Thanking her again, the tired parents kissed their son goodnight and went yawning the whole way to bed. Sunset took the prince back to his room and spent the next few hours playing with him and trying to teach him a few things she'd learned both as a filly and just in the human world.

While she was doing this, she also spilled her heart and soul out to the young prince about her true feelings about her life. About her family, friends, home, all of it.

It may have been her imagination, but Dream Magic actually seemed to understand everything she was saying, even though that be impossible at his age of only eight weeks old. Still, he did appear to be listening, and his response to her confession seemed to be appropriate to her feelings.

He actually seemed to be trying to comfort her and make her feel better. When he magically made a bouquet of her mother's favorite flowers, she actually smiled and kissed him on his horn. "You're lovely, Dream Magic. You have a good heart. I don't know how much you really understood of me spilling my heart out to you, but its late and time for you to go to bed. Let's get you to bed. I'll tell you one of my favorite stories my dad told me."

So, putting the young prince in his cradle and giving him his bottle, then putting his favorite stuffed toy next to him, she began to tell him the tale of a man who tried to change the fate of red strings of love.

In Asian culture, it was believed the gods tied all people together with a red string to match them up, which couldn't be changed or cut ever. The story was about a young man who was without family but growing in the ranks of politics, which by chance met a god early in the morning.

He'd asked him if the meeting for later that day would bring him a wife that would surely help him in his life, but the god said no that his match was only three years old at the time. The man wasn't happy, but the god agreed to show him his future bride, and they're whisked away to a far-off village to see the child who the man wasn't happy about and asked the red thread to be changed, but it couldn't be.

Trying to change the fates, he paid a petty crook to kill the child and hope to get the present woman. Of course, the marriage plans failed, and for the intervening years, he still didn't get a wife. Till one day, he was arranged to marry an important man's niece.

She was young and would've been the age the three-year-old girl would've been if she was still alive. She was magnificent and kind, but when they're alone after the ceremony, he notices she was hesitant to remove a final piece of the wedding apparel. Finally, she consented, and he saw a hideous scar and asked what happened?

She tells him when she was three years old before she came to her ugly, her guardian was selling vegetables to keep them alive till she could get her to her uncle. One night a man with a knife attacks her, but he stops almost as soon as he attacks her, but it left her with a scar.

Realizing that fate is something that cannot be changed, he held his chosen bride close.

Seeing that the prince was happily sleeping, Sunset kissed him goodnight and went back to her room and thinking how she wished her parents had been there to tell her stories to put her to bed when she was a child. Her dad had told these stories to her, yes, but these were from her father's books of the bookcase in the living room in an attempt to bond. Not bedtime stories, which made her feel very sad at the moment.

The next morning, Sunset took a very long time preparing for her meeting with another Princess who was due to arrive and inform her of her duties of what was to come.

She was almost late coming to the meeting, and if it weren't for Spike, she wouldn't have made it at all. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door where the Cutie Map was kept and found all the Princesses and Prince Fledge were seated around it, and she walked in slowly as the door closed behind them.

"Welcome, Princess Sunset Shimmer. We hope your trip to Equestira wasn't too much trouble." Princess Celestia greeted her kindly.

"It was very much the same as it as always, Princess Celestia. But thank you for the concern all the same. So how are you all faring? Since the last time I saw you when we presented Dream Magic to Equestira?"

"Well, I'm happy to say things are shining brightly in the Crystal Empire for myself, Shining Armor and Flurry Heart. Though she seems very eager to play more with her younger cousin."

"Well, we did agree Cadence would be likely a good idea for the two of them to get together sometimes and learn together. After all, being the only natural-born Alicorns, they've got a lot in common, and they're family after all. That's another reason they should be together, don't you think?"

"Agreed, Twilight, but we also agreed it wouldn't be a practical idea at the moment to do without some serious planning and knowing first what kind of dangers or other events are going on Equestira beforehand."

"Which is Shining Armor and me have been extra busy looking for any dangers that might harm our children, Cadence. We also have all our friends and allies constantly on the lookout for any other signs of problems or potential dangers that might put Equestria or its inhabitants at risk. But we can't live in fear or worrying about what may or may not happen." Fledge told his sister-in-law in a slightly annoyed tone.

Sensing tension, Sunset spoke up. "A wise human named Winston Churchill once said. " _The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,"_ So I think maybe you consider that. My father has this book called " _Quotes of the Wise"_ It's a book full of quotes of wisdom throughout time and around the human world. Good reading and good advice, really."

The other ponies were staring at her, and she blushed embarrassingly and mumbled, "Sorry, um Princess Luna, what going on with you?" she asked nervously.

"The nighttime is as beautiful as ever as I love to walk a moonlight field when the world's at peace to clear my mind when things get too much. So yes, things are going as well as can be expected in this world. So tell us, how are they going in _your world, young Princess?"_

"Um, ever since Camp Everfree, myself and the other Mane Seven girls and Fledge have been training to master our powers. We are also enjoying taking pleasure with those who have stolen our hearts since the Magic of Love is just as important Magic of Friendship as they are two sides of the same coin.

We are all excited about the coming school year as it's our last year at CHS. Hence, it's a huge deal, and my friends and I wanted to know your opinion if you think our magic will disappear once we leave the source it came from because once we graduated, we won't be coming back to CHS," she informed them.

There was a lot of murmuring going on, and they could really only speculate. Finally, Princess Celestia spoke. "We don't have a complete understanding of how magic works in this other world, which is why it is one of your duties to try and understand it and make sure it doesn't get out of hand."

"I understand that, Princess Celestia. I understand the first few duties you've already assigned me. But I thought this meeting was to inform me of other duties you expected of me."

"It is, my beloved student. Still, as we cannot truly understand how magic works in the human world, which has so many different variables and your own human body channels it differently then our own human bodies, I don't think we could predict how the magic will continue to effects you or the others whom it has touched. That will always be a forever evolving mystery, is all we can surmise."

"Oh, I see," Sunset hung her head in disappointment. She really wishes they'd a true answer for it that really could help her and her friends.

"We shall do our best, Princess Sunset, to study the phenomenon with whatever information you can send us via the magical journal in hopes we can at least figure out a bit of this conundrum. That we can at least assure you of." Princess Luna informed of her.

"I thank you for that, Princess Luna. I don't think I can handle trying to figure this out on my own or with friends. The last year of high school is always the most challenging and with magic involved? I suspect it only gonna make it more of a challenge."

"If you don't mind me asking, Sunset, what makes this 'senior year' so challenging?" Fledge questioned her.

"Umm…" she scrambled to explain, "Well, it's your last year of school, and then you're sent off into the 'real world,' or you're an adult. No longer a child. You can either choose to further your education or not. You face many choices, and in the process, it's a strange and amazing journey all its own. It's like a yearlong quest, I guess."

"A quest? A school year is a quest?" Twilight said, seemingly interested.

"Well, high school years are either the best or worst years of your life. It's never just the academic side. They're also on the social side, and surviving both means you've survived trials of fire. Then when it's over, it's like you're wondering, "What the next step? Where do I go from here?"

You're suddenly trying to figure out who you are and what to do with your life. It's just a lot of soul searching and the workload harder in a senior year, but there are some fun events, but still nothing is easy, and it's just really a quest to find yourself and figure out what next for you, really."

"Well, you have certainly given us a lot of food for thought, Princess Sunset Shimmer. Now allow us to give you some to digest." Princess Celestia spoke as she drew herself up to her full height.

Feeling the power of the most powerful princess and those beautiful pink eyes locked on her, she trembled with fear again at her former teacher and bowed. "I'm ready to given my assignment, Princess Celestia."

"Well, to aid you in your task as Ambassador and Emissary, you already wear your crown, which was endowed with special magical properties. Which we will now inform you of. It should help you in the coming year and your duties."

"My crown? It has powers?"

"You thought it was a mere trinket?" Fledge said with an eyebrow cocked.

"Well, truthfully, I've had so much going on I didn't give it much thought, and well, only Twilight's crown did anything. No offense to your other Highness, but your crowns are only to look pretty, not do anything."

"None was taken, Princess Sunset. It's true my crown does nothing but look pretty on my head," Cadence agreed.

"As does mine." Luna also acknowledged.

"But when I helped forge yours, my old student, I endowed with the magical properties it would need for your special mission."

"So what can my crown do, and how will it help me? And why do I need the powers, to begin with?"

"I'm not sure why but I've got a feeling that this quest you have just spoken of will be different for all of your friends and even yourself, and yes, you'll be tested in many different ways none of you shall forever and again as we don't know how magic works in your world we don't know how these unforeseen challenges you all will face will work with your magic either."

Sunset gulped loudly and asked. "Princess Celestia, I know you are the oldest, wisest, and most powerful pony in all of Equestira. Are you trying to tell me you see a vision of my own world's future? A future for my friends and me?"

"I do not see so much as feeling that there will be trials, choices, and test of sorts in all your futures. It's again more feelings that all your elements and even hearts will be tested, and as you put it, you all have to figure out the question. "Who am I? And what is next?"

"I'm scared already, and I don't even know what I'm supposed to do!"

"Calm yourself, Sunset Shimmer. We are here to aid you with whatever is coming your way. So listen to us about the power of your crown, and hopefully, that will aid you somewhat with what is coming."

"Alright. What can my crown do?"

"Very well, pay close attention."

"I am paying attention."

"Very well, the first power your crown to do if it pulsate the color of one your friends it means that friend requires your help. 2. If it pulsates a rainbow color, there is a friendship problem you and your friends need fixing. 3. If it burst like a fireball, it means a friend's in terrible danger. 4. If it loses color, that will tell you magic is lost. 5. When all colors of the Elements of Harmony pulse from it, everything is alright."

"Can you repeat that and slower this time?"

Celestia repeated it three times till Sunset had it memorized. They all talked a bit further, then retired for the night.

On Sunday, they reviewed everything and talked a little longer before everyone had to go home, and Celestia volunteered to escort Sunset back to the portal. The two Alicorns walked in awkward silence for a while Then. Celestia started to ask Sunset a simple everyday question about her life.

Sunset was evasion and never really gave her a direct answer as if she was afraid to tell her the truth. Given the nature of the questions. Even if it was as simple as "Are you looking forward to the school year?" or "What have you and your friends been doing for fun lately?" and "How your parents and what are have you and Sunrise done lately together?"

Finally, they reached the portal, but Celestia finally said directly what she wanted to know. "You know, Sunset Shimmer, you don't need to feel ashamed or feel like you're betraying Equestira or me again if you're happy."

"Huh?! What do you mean?!" she asked as she flew upward and then looked terrified and was breathing hard. Celestia smiled kindly and understandingly, then used her magic to lower the frightened Alicorn to the ground. "I'm saying there is no shame in being happy," as she said that the locket around Sunset's neck opened to reveal where Sunset's heart and happiness were found.

"Princess Celestia….I…"

"Sunset Shimmer?"

"Yes?" she asked meekly.

"We must each find our own path in life, and that also means finding our true place in the world and where we can find happiness. It doesn't matter if you didn't find your place in Equestira, and your heart and happiness are found in the human world. You don't have to feel ashamed about it.

I only want all my subjects, even you, just to be happy. And as long as you're happy with your choices and you have what you really need? A loving home with a loving family and friends? What more can anyone ask for?

All I ever wanted for you when you left was that you to learn the lessons you've learned and to be happy. As long as you're happy, then nothing else matters. You don't even need me to give my approval to your choice to stay as a human or that you chose to be live as a human and call it your home."

"So you're not mad at all? Really? That I'm happier and at home in the other world than I ever was as a pony? Even though I am a Princess? That I still rather be a human even though here I'm an Alicorn?"

"We are who we chose to be, and we must go where the heart wants to be. And you are an exceptional and unique pony. You're as much a pony as you are human, and that why you're given such a unique title as a Princess."

"I'm thankful for being a Princess, but I'm more grateful for your understanding of my feelings and my family's feelings as well. Thank you, and if not too much trouble, please can this be kept between us?"

"If it makes you happy, yes, I'll keep this between us."

"Thank you. Goodbye for now, Princess Celestia."

"Goodbye, Princess Sunset Shimmer."

With tears in her eyes, Sunset step through the portal, and the hourglass flipped as she crossed through and went back to her _home and family_


	3. Senior Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CHS Students:
> 
> Tecna Mark- Hynden Walch- Starfire- Teen Titans-(The good one, not that acid trip GO! God, that's a drug trip!)
> 
> Midnight Sunspot- Tabitha St. Germain-doing Veralupa's voice from Sabrina Secrets of a Teenage Witch.

The Mane Seven Girls who'd been unable to sleep the night before had shown up at CHS over an hour early, eagerly awaiting the bell to ring to signal the start of their senior year.

Gathered around the Wondercolt statue, the excitement and tension level was so high it threatens to explode out of them. Though despite being highly emotional with the brain chemistry very high, they didn't transform. So maybe for once, their magic was contained.

As it was theorized, their ponying up was triggered by heightening endorphins levels. Still, perhaps the magic also had a level of sentience and felt this was one of the times it shouldn't activate even if the normal trigger of elevated brain chemicals were screaming for it.

Instead of trying and quelling their excitement, some girls took turns in admiring Rarity's handy work and her new Senior Year Looks she'd designed for them. She'd done a truly fantastic job as was expected of her of making them chic and stylish, that was for sure.

All the outfits had common was they allowed an inch of midriff to be shown as that was part of the new dress code that only the least amount of midriff and cleavage could be shown for girls.

So something not slutty at all but the bare minimalist and everyone but Twilight wore a necklace of some kind, but all wore the gem necklace turn friendship rings still.

So going alphabetical starting with Applejack, she wore her trademark hat still. Her necklace was a silver chain with silver "A." Her top was a country-style candy apple red tank top with an apple in center and denim shorts with some more apple and ankle-high cowboy boots.

Next was Fluttershy, and she was very sporty looking for a nature girl. She was wearing a bright spring frost and sky blue tank top with scrunches on her wrist and right ankle matching sneakers, and her new choker matched too. She has matching green studs in her ears as well. In the center of her tank on her shorts were her butterflies.

Pinkie Pie's new outfit really showed off her exuberant and loud personality really well. Her necklace was also a choker that looked like the Element of Harmony necklace her pony counterpart had worn.

Her outfit was a loud pink and blue tube top with her balloons on the front. She had matching wrist bands. She'd like a short bright blue mini skirt over a pair of bright pink and blue boyfriend jeans and finally a pair of bright blue ankle boots.

Rainbow Dash's outfit was, in many ways was as colorful as her name.

Her necklace had been one with an actual rainbow charm on it. Her outfit was the same shade of pink to match her eyes. It consists of a one-shoulder halter top with her cutie mark in the center, a bright purple armband on her left arm, rainbow wrist bands, pink jeans with a rainbow on the left leg, and a pink boot.

Rarity, of course, had done herself a stupendous job and made herself looking fabulous and chic, of course. She'd made herself an amethyst crop top with a tiny diamond shape keyhole to allow only a very tiny amount of cleavage to be shown with matching wrist bands with a darker shade of the amethyst made into a pair of jegging with matching ballet flats. Her necklace was on a gold chain with a real diamond, and her earrings were diamond studs.

Sunset Shimmer look was all leather in many different colors. She wore a short black leather jacket with matching fingerless biker gloves. She wore a red-violet strapless tube top with a small keyhole and bright crimson skirt, and matching heeled ankle boots. Her necklace was her locket, and she wore real ruby studs, and her crown was disguised to look like her cutie mark as a barrette in her hair.

Twilight still looked very different since her first makeover and the fact she now wore contacts. Still, she'd done a great job now that she wore more flattering clothes and let her hair down.

Her new outfit was a sleeveless brilliant red top with a tiny keyhole with a matching armband, one wrist band, and her cutie mark wristwatch. She wore denim capris with her cutie mark on the left side and red ankle-strapped heeled sandals. Her earing pinkish purple and her hair loose and wavy.

All in all, seven girls looked beautiful and ready to take on the world as well as their last year of high school both in style and determination! They also knew, based on the outfits they'd already seen, Rarity had dressed their respective boyfriends in the day before, so would they!

The girls were so deeply involved in their conversation about their clothes and boyfriends they almost didn't hear two voices call out their names.

"Hey! Hello!"

"Hey! How are you all! It's been so long! Mind if we join you all?"

Looking up, they saw two girls who they're dear friends with rushing to join them and waved them over.

"Over here, Midnight!" called Sunset happily to one girl! "Tecna hurry up!" called Twilight to the other girl in the same amount of happiness.

The girls hurried over but tripped, but Twilight and Sunset caught them and helped them stand up properly.

"Thanks, that's so kind of you," both girls replied after they caught their breaths. "We've been running all the way to school since we're both so eager to start the school year as you all must be!" Tecna guessed.

"We sure as Tecna. By the way, I love your new outfit! Did you design it, or did your mom at the amazing salon of hers?" inquired Rarity looking at their special friend.

Tecna Mark looked herself over. She was the brilliant girl who ran the school supply shop and was the creator and host of the most popular web show in Canterlot, "The Real World Unenchanted."

She was an amiable and vivacious young girl as well as tons of fun to be around. Beauty Mark owned a local salon that many of the students went to because her mother offered discounts to CHS students.

Tecna was mostly the spitting image of her mother as both had the same body type and hair color aqua green and electric purple eyes. Still, unfortunately, Tecna had gotten her dad's poor eyesight, and her father was an ophthalmologist. He refused to point blankly to let her get contacts as he was worried she get parasites in her eyes.

Tecna also had for senior given herself a new look. Her hair was still in its odango hairstyle. She now sported an azure and sea green crop top with matching fingerless gloves and Capri leggings and platform booties.

"Yeah, my mom help styles me, as did my makeover program too," she added to that statement.

Tecna's dream was to go into computer graphic designs when she went to college and possibly write computer programs. She was highly skilled in those areas for sure.

"Well, I'll say, darling, you both did a great job. Do you approve of the outfits I did for myself and my friends?" Rarity asked, gesturing to the rest of the group.

Tecna looked at Rarity's handiwork for a good long minute before nodding in approval. "Rarity, we all know you're gonna be the next big name in fashion. You'll blow Michal Kors and Zac Posen out of the water, and your just 17 out of the water.

You'd leave Tim Gunn speechless. He'd never have to tell you, "Make it work!" you'd have to tell him that!"

Rarity blushed very brightly from that compliment. After all, she was one of the biggest "Project Runway" fans ever and really had studied the other designers on the show and also the judges to try and get tips and how to improve herself and to try to figure out what they would say to her for own style if she ever got on it.

"Well, thank you so much for your compliment and kind words, Tecna. How was your summer?"

"I'd a great summer taking a lot of classes to help improve my tech skills, and I've tons of ideas for the second season of my web show. You all will still help me with the soundtrack and any other thing I might need help with, right?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course, Tech! The Rainbooms love nothing more to add the spice your web show needs to keep the awesomeness going! That's not a problem!" Rainbow Dash assured her.

"Plus, we need more topics like your to bring up unenchanted, so true honesty is out there, and people see the real world for what is and not a fairy tale. Not mention you get people to really think about things they should be thinking about and not thinking about stupid stuff that doesn't even matter any more than a pig slob matters!" Applejack pointed out.

"Yeah, if you need any ideas, we can give you some of the whole school can give you. It is a true act of kindness. You did say you do one about the real truth of animal cruelty, right?" Fluttershy asked her, to which the other teen nodded.

"I was planning on doing a web show on the truth of things your all experts in and was going to an interview with you and possibly to a sideshow this year talking with all the students about how senior year is for all the students."

"Sounds like that gonna be super fun and really a cool and fun way for us to remember. It is a great reason to party!"

"No need to get in a party mood before it starts Pinkie Pie. Especially for some of us, the party really hasn't started since we are just beginning to be allowed to have fun!" spoke the other girl for the first time.

"Oh, I forgot for a moment, Midnight, you used be living with the biggest and meanest party poopers ever!"

Midnight laughed in good human and brushed her asymmetrical teal hair out her face looking a bit nervous for a moment after all her life had only recently been no bed of rose.

"No, my parents weren't exactly fun at all or even knew what love or fun was. But now that I live with my Aunt April Moon, things are much better. Thank you again for saving me, Sunset, even though it was almost your death that saved my life."

"You're welcome, but I wish I'd know sooner what was wrong so we would've had such an unnecessary rivalry at the stables. And you didn't have to act that way to make those ingrates happy. We could've been friends sooner and been having fun and not, you know?

"Not making Nightmare and Solar Flare have to be enemies when they should've been friends too? Or me have to attend that horrid all-girls school that was just like a female version of Crystal Prep?" she shutters.

"Yeah, all that. I'm glad you can finally be free to be yourself, and you can wear what you want and do what you want."

"Me too, Sunset. I know this is the same outfit I wore when I snuck out to meet you girls, but for me, it's still new as I never got to wear anything like this at all when I had to live with my parents!" she pointed to the magenta and teal mini leather jacket, skirt, fingerless and ankle boots. Her cutie mark was a black crescent moon hidden behind a cloud on her belly shirt and hair clip.

"So how is your Aunt April Moon? She was so cool and fun at the party?"

"Well, you say she's at least stylish, fun, and doesn't believe in the stupid crap of the rest of the family, and her hair is as lovely and lively as the Aurora Borealis. And she was bold enough to get a tattoo, which is all but taboo in the family, so she's got the waves of the ocean on her left to represent a sea of both freedom and possibility.

She told me I could get a tattoo at the end of the school year if I want one. So I'm trying to think of what I want to express myself with. My aunt would also like me to ask the students of my new school if they have any old clothes that they can bring to the "Lucky Moon Dry Cleaners" to donate to charity.

"We can ask Principal Celestia or Vice-Principal Luna to ask the students to make donations to your Aunt's charity for you. They're always up for that kind of thing. That's not a problem, dear." Rarity informed the new girl, who smiled.

"That be greatly appreciated, Aunt April Moon is always involved in some charity or volunteer work of some kind. She's always one to give herself to others."

"That's very kind and good of her."

"Yes, a lot more people embody what you guys are living examples of then you think, but it helps you bring that magic out of others. And we know your magic helps bring forth more magic that many have long forgotten." Tecna pointed out the simple facts that the girls gave a small smile of pride about.

"Yeah, you save lives by just being yourself and not just by ponying up or the miracle powers that came from the other side of this statue or the gems on your fingers. I'm sure you could do miracles by yourselves if by some strange chance you did lose your magic," Midnight said in a confident tone, but the Mane Seven looked unsure at her words.

For a few moments, the girls looked a little uneasy and doubtful at their new friend's words. Even though they weren't meant as anything more than mere words of friendship and prophase minor praise, the girls now had a strange sense of dread and foreboding dampening their manic energy a bit.

Why did it seem that Midnight had just made a prediction? And Sunset's stomach was already in knots. She hadn't even had time to tell the other girls what the Princesses of Equestria had told her during her weekend trip there. But now she was feeling was the universe trying to tell her something? Was there something dark gonna happen to the seven of them this year? Where they really gonna be tested in ways they didn't foresee? Could they… really lose their magic? What was going to happen? Since now both Princess Celestia and now Midnight had brought it up this sense, something was coming, and it just couldn't be a coincidence in Sunset's mind.

She felt someone then shaking her out of her dark brooding, and she yelped out of fright. "Sunset, are you alright? I didn't mean to scare you like that! You were worrying us all so much, and I've been worrying about you a lot since what happened at the Equestrian Games back in May. Are you sure you're alright?" Midnight asked her first friend.

Calming down with the breathing techniques her father had taught her, she nodded, "Yes, I'm fine. It's just the excitement of Senior Year and the pressure of being a Princess. It's a bit overwhelming, is all."

"I'm sure it is. I know trying to live up to impossible expectations, as you know very well. Um, I wondered if you'd be able to blow off some of the steam by still joining me at the Canterlot Stables. Or have your parents forbidden you from ever riding again since the accident?"

Sunset looked away for a second, carefully choosing her words before answering her ex-rival's question.

"Mom and Dad have been thinking about it long and hard about, Midnight. They know how much riding means to me, and they also know this is true. They could no more stop me from getting back on a horse then they could change the fact I was born a unicorn.

They will allow me to continue riding," which Midnight looked happy about till she saw Sunset wasn't smiling and let her continue. "Nevertheless, they, of course, have certain conditions and precautions taken, so I'm less likely to get hurt. They do understand what happened was a freak accident; however, they also understand a miracle like lightning doesn't strike twice," taking a deep breath, she further explained her parents' new rules for her favorite activity.

"Therefore, from now on, I'm under extreme protection and carefully watch when riding, plus they wish Sunrise to be with me at all times I'm riding. On the one hand, it's not bad to have my boyfriend there to 'rescue me," but I don't like being 'Cinderella" I rather rescue myself. Still, if I can still ride, I'll do whatever they command," she finished informing her riding buddy.

"Yeah, it sucks when we strong young women are still treated like helpless lasses who can't do a darn thing for ourselves, and we're only good at standing there looking pretty." Applejack said with her arms crossed and eyebrows cocked.

"Sure, that's why you find Merida the best Disney Princess and the one you most identify with," Sunset laughed. She thought about her favorite Princess Jasmine and hoped they make a live-action of Aladdin soon now that they just made Twilight's favorite Princess Belle live-action movie.

The girls laughed and chit chatted a few more moments before the bell finally rang, and they knew it was time. Time for the first day that would soon lead to the start of the rest of their lives.

Joining hands, they walked through the doors of CHS holding their breaths and cross the threshold, and it felt different this time. They headed to their lockers that were all right next to each other and got things settled before they heard Celestia's kind and a beautiful voice telling them that the new senior class was to report to the gym for a special assembly.

The girls hurried to the gym and soon found themselves met by the rest of the classmates and took their seats with those whose boyfriends attended the school. True to Rarity's word, their outfits were stylish.

Fledge looked extremely cool. He wore a copper color sleeveless shirt with silver claps snapping it a shot. He'd greenish bronze jeans and tall zip-up mahogany leather boots. He sported golden wrist bands, armbands, and necklaces.

His bronze hair was still in its long ponytail, and his belt buckle still had his golden dream cloud cutie mark with his attractive copper-colored eyes. All in all, he was very sexy and would turn quite a few heads even if the only girl that matter to him was Twilight.

Sunrise looked great as well as he snuggled close to his girl. He wore his special necklace out over his new short sleeve shirt with different colors that seemed to show the colors that reflected the emerging sunrise itself. He had golden wrist bands and nicely made blue jeans, and good leather boots.

Soarin's new look was him wearing a shirt that had scanned onto the point where the heavens and earth met on one half was the stars and moon, and below was the clouds and earth with nice jeans.

Finally, Cheese Sandwich's new look was a short bright yellow shirt jacket with a long-sleeved black shirt underneath with baggy black pants with a zigzag yellow patter down the side with matching sneakers.

The girls were busy saying how wonderful their guys looked and trying to steal a kiss when the sisters who lead their school walked onto the stage, welcoming them back to CHS.

Principal Celestia started the assembly by saying how proud and honored she was having the privilege of watching all who were gathered in this room grow and learn for the past 3 school years, and she was gonna be very sad to see them go at the end of the year.

She also said that this year was always so important to her, and she wanted to remind them this was the most important in their school. That they must take everything they'd learned and put it to good use because after this year, they'd no longer be mere children.

They'd be entering the world of adulthood and facing the most difficult and hardest choices of their lives, and for the most part, there be no longer anyone to hold their hands and guide them.

They'd be on their own, and it was time to prepare for that transition now. So they had a lot of hard work this year to truly prepare for what was to really come after they left this school and what lay for them beyond high school. So they shouldn't waste any of their marvelous talents or the unlimited potential they all had inside them!

Her sister Luna told them while they may think the end of high school meant a lot of fun and freedom, there'd be a lot of hard work and not a lot of downtime. There were many challenges both to test them academic wise and just who they were as a person.

And speaking of school work, they should expect this year alone to be acting like they're facing exams every day with the workload they're about to be given if they even expected to make it to graduation.

That this year wasn't simply about having fun. They'd have to put in the hard work, too, if they even want to do the fun stuff like getting their driver's license, go to prom, and most importantly get their diplomas.

So they'd been forewarned and didn't expect even the first day wouldn't be a challenge or not expect to get a lot of homework! So work and study hard and be prepared to find out who you are and ready for what really out there after high school.

Then the students were given their class course schedules and told to hurry off to their new classes. There wasn't time to think or say goodbye and good luck as everyone was hurrying to their new classes.

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy were hurrying to the most advanced math class they'd ever taken. Calculus! Pinkie Pie and Rarity to Political Studies and Twilight and Sunset an Advance English Classes. Their boyfriends ended up in Philosophy.

Not only were the classes so hard to keep up with, but they're also nearly impossible to understand! Their brains felt both on fire and like they're falling apart by the time they're got to lunch, and all felt like they had just run a marathon through hell barefoot!

And the day was only half over! They still had to a P.E. class and other new classes, which, if the morning was any indication, were surely gonna be just as tough and only gonna get tougher as the day went on! And already the homework was mounting!

No-one really had the energy to say it out loud, but their eyes all said it wasn't how they expect the first day back to go for them. Not to be dead on their feet by lunchtime and their brains threatening to explode.

Twilight managed to suggest they hook up after school with the rest of the guys for a date at Sugarcube café to relax and talk about how to handle this stressful and demanding year in a way that wouldn't kill all of them.

All of them agreed, and the girls snuck a quick text to their boyfriends who weren't in the school, to which they replied quickly with an okay and smiley face.

After not having much more time to chew a couple more bites, the girls and their lovers went back to the hardest day of schoolwork they'd ever encountered.

Finally, the last bell rings at long last, and the students can end the first day of school and no doubt about it. The senior class all look like they just weathered the storm of the century!

As they gathered their books and look at the amount of homework that looks like it will take them a month to finish, they can't help but feel a tad bit irked by Principal Celestia closing comments on the intercom.

"Well, I hope everyone had a lovely first day back to CHS. Both old and new students alike. So go home and relax and let's all have a great year at our wonderful school by making this year our best and brightest ever!"

The girls once again cross the threshold leaving the school, and all mumble under their breath, no longer filled with excitement, only exhaustion, and pain, said: "Welcome to Senior Year!"


	4. Future Goals

The girls and the boys were so deadbeat tired from the first day of their senior year that even though Sugarcube Café was within walking distance, they took the bus instead.

They got their usual table in the back right corner and order seven extra-large parfaits while waiting for the rest of the girls' boyfriends to arrive in Butch's truck. They said they'd be there within half an hour, which, true to their word, they were.

Rarity had again spared no expense, making them look super chic and stylish when making them look good for their own school years.

Butch, for example, like his girl, Applejack wore his own cowboy hat just like her. He wore a new short sleeved shirt that was ebony black and starlight sliver; that had a large spectacular dazzling star on the back with his name done in calligraphy around it. He wore stylish and well-made boot cut jeans over new faux snakeskin boots.

Rusty wore a unbutton collar shirt with a mix of olive green and tan with khakis and dark brown loafers.

Of course, Rarity really made sure her own boyfriend from France's second-biggest city was seriously stylish and very princely. The only that that hadn't changed was that He still wore his trademark dark blue beret that went with his hair and eyes.

His new look started with his new silk shirt in two different shades of purple that were done in intervals. Followed by a pair of denim cargo pants with the side cargo pocket, which was done in a unique purple shade, she'd created after experimenting long hours with dying. And she'd had hand-stitched a bright red rose into the left leg. His shoes were custom made to fit his feet alone and dark purplish-blue halfway between boots and dress shoes.

If Rarity wasn't destined to be a famous fashion designer one day, then the world was really messed up!

Everyone quickly got a rejuvenated kiss from their lovers that gave everyone their energy back and began to eat their Sweetheart parfaits as they began to tell each other how their first days back to school where. Needless to say, the other boys' first day back hadn't been any less of hell then those who'd been at CHS were.

"So it looks and sounds like we're gonna need to do a little planning and more than a little organizing this year if we want to keep our heads straight and not lose our minds to me," Twilight said at last as she slurped some of her share of her parfait up.

"Agreed, Twilight, did you bring your laptop to help us out?"

"You know I don't go anywhere without my laptop, Fledge," she replied as she pulled a small lavender laptop with her cutie mark in the center and entered a secret password. Then click a few more keys she pulled up the calendar for the whole school year.

"Alright, I can plan out the whole school year for all of us and then send copies to all your devices so no-one can forget and don't worry, my computer is hacker and virus-proof. I even had Tecna check it three times to be sure!" she assured everyone with a glowing smile.

"Well, it's a bit early to be planning some things, Twilight, but if we do send it do you first, then you can punch it into your calendar, and it will be transferred to all of ours?" Applejack inquired?

"Yep, I'm calling this program Friendship Dates. So I think we need to start with the basic dates we do need to think about. You know study session and homework and things like that we know about?" she replied, looking at everyone.

"Well, that is a good idea for sure, Twilight, given the first taste of what we got alone today at school," Sunset admitted.

"And it would be convenient to also find in dates for all of us to make sure we had time for alone time with our loves. We can't forget time for romance," Rarity also pointed as she gazed her radiant blue eyes at Suave.

"Nor can we forgot the personal goals we agreed to seek out for ourselves this year. There needs to be time set aside for things of that nature as well," Fluttershy reminded them, and Rusty nodded.

"Also just some free time and doing our own chores stuff at the home range. Can't forget things at home." Applejack drawled out that fact, and Rainbow Dash reminded them of one last thing to think about.

"Also, there one last fact we can't ignore either that Principal Celestia pointed out. We need to focus on our futures, which means thinking about what we are going to do after high school ends? So we need to plan that out too!"

"All good points, girls, and so let's plan them all out the best we can. Um, Pinkie? You're in my personal space. Can you get out of it, please?"

"What about partying and fun?! We can't be all work and not have some fun and party! What about having fun too?!" she exclaimed as if they forgot about fun and her hair deflated a bit.

"Yeah, we'll make sure to squeeze in time for that as well, Pinkie Pie, but we still need to be somewhat serious with the work we'll have to put into this last year of school nonetheless." Sunset tried to get through the bubbly girl's head, who didn't seem to hear one word she was saying.

For the first half-hour, they're able to plan for the first three months at least study sessions and whose house they go to for homework groups. Also, a few dates were planned for groups and alone time.

But then it came to planning the girl's own individual activities, which is where the snag was hit because the girls really hadn't talked about their plans. While it was easy to put the boys' plans into the Friendship dates, mostly anyway, the girls were another story.

Finally, one by one, the girls announced what they each had set their minds to do for their own personal time as something to do for their senior year alone.

Applejack figured she wasn't even going to college as no-one in her family had ever gone and just stayed and worked on the farm their whole life. So she'd figured that was her path as well. So she'd just be working extra hard about preparing her life for that.

Fluttershy decided this year she'd wanted to try and help someone else other than animals with her kindness and felt the great act of kindness there was she could do was help teen addicts at a local teen rehab center. The others gave her some sideways looks and didn't say it out loud but didn't think Fluttershy would last a day in this desire of hers.

Pinkie Pie said she only cared about spicing up the party scene to make the parties people were hosting this year the best they could be. But the others felt in their guts there was only something bad gonna come of this and that they should warn Pinkie, but Pinkie was again not listening to anyone.

Rainbow Dash said the only way she was going to get into any college was on an athletic scholarship, so she'd dedicated her spare time to training for one. They knew that CHS had what was called the Day of Scholars when the people who handed out scholarships visited the school to see if their people deserved them, and well, they could understand why Rainbow Dash needed to train for one. Only a few did earn them, no matter how good they were.

Rarity informed them she was gonna be helping Suave with some things at the Dreamstone as he'd been elected to help some other students this year who'd also come from other countries to attend the college get settled. She'd generously offered to help him in his duties in acclimating them to America and the college.

Twilight said she and Fledge just wanted time to focus on themselves and their relationship, which would be fine with them.

At last, they all turned to Sunset, who hadn't spoken, and she just let out a sigh.

"As I'm sure all of you want to hear from me is what happened to me in Equestria? Well, I'll say a few things. Prince Dream Magic is growing happy and well, so that is one good thing if you're all wondering about him.

The Princesses would also like us to pay close attention to our magic, continue studying it for ourselves, and report it back to them. For they honestly have no ideas of their own how it works either or how it affects humans here."

"So they don't have any ideas to our questions about what's going to happen to us or the magic after this year?" they asked Sunset, and she shook her head.

"No, they don't know. They only suggested we continue to study the phenomenon and report it, and they could figure some things out, and we could also.

They also suggest each of you take turns with the magical journal and write a letter to Equestria and tell them in your own words about what's going on in your life and how your magic feels to help them understand what's going on. That may help them and yourself, you never really know?"

"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt and might be somewhat like a therapy tool we could use for such a stressful year we are about to have," Applejack admitted, to which the others nodded.

"Did the pretty pony princess say anything else?" Rarity asked.

"Well, they told me my crown has special powers that will alert me to friendship problems or if any of your in danger or need some guidance or if somehow we lose our magic."

"LOSE OUR MAGIC?!"

"I know! We don't understand how magic works in this world, but Princess Celestia had a feeling she only could describe as we are about to be tested all she could say! But I don't know what else to say or do, and I feel…" she was about to tear her hair out of her head, and Twilight hugged her best friend tightly.

"It's alright, Sunset, no-one knows what the future holds, and we'll take it one day at a time and face it together. We are friends forever, all seven of us. We have Friendship, Love, and Family on our side. That makes us strong, and we are never alone."

"Thank you, Twilight."

"Alright. Now, are you gonna do anything for fun that needs to be programmed in?" she asked gently.

"I'll still be doing my horseback riding now and then to distress, yes."

With that last entry logged in. Twilight tripled checked for any mistakes before sending a copy of the schedule to everyone's devices. Again, if any changes needed to be made, please alert her and update them immediately. They keep this up as the year progressed.

After they finished with that, they paid for their parfaits, walked outside gave each other a romantic kiss by the setting sun before the boys took their girls back to their home, yet everyone could feel a slight feeling of both excitement and dread. What would this year truly bring them?


	5. Problems with Honesty

It'd been the most exhausting week of the girls' lives, and they barely had a scarp of life in their bodies after completing the first week of their senior year. Needless to say, everyone was more or less in agreement. They all needed the weekend to relax and destress.

So agree to get see each other 1 hour before school started on Monday. They all dragged themselves slowly home, and for Sunset, she barely made through the door before she nearly passed out on the floor of her home.

Her cat Daybreak was trying to arouse her without much success, but it did draw the attention of her parents, who'd been in their home office going over their monthly bills, and they took one look at their passed out daughter and nodded.

"Let me help you up, sweetheart," Sunfire said as she helped her daughter to the kitchen/dining room and prompted her on a seat though she barely looked alive. "Rough week?"

"You have no idea, Mom," she replied weakly.

"Believe me, my darling, I do. Don't forget your father and I went to CHS ourselves. We know the first week of senior year can be very exhausting. You should've seen how exhausted Celestia and Luna were!" she said with a bit of giggle as she went to work in the kitchen.

"I can't imagine my own principal and her sister ever being students of the school, Mom. Let alone your classmates despite your yearbooks showing it. Now it's even harder to imagine them feeling as worn out as I feel," she said in an ever weaker tone.

"Well, it's hard to imagine a lot of people as kids like yourselves when you know them one way for so long. Why don't you take a load off your feet and relax for a little bit while I make something that will help rejuvenate you?"

"And after your mother rejuvenated your body with the nourishment, I shall help rejuvenate your mind and spirit, Sunset. After you're done with your mother's treatment, please change into your mediation robe.

The one with pretty komodo under it? The one that was custom made as a thank you for helping that Japanese clothing company with their clothing line?"

Sunset smiled wistfully before replying, "Rarity would be so jealous if she knew about half the clothes in my closet that I don't normally wear in public. Given that most of your clients repay you both for your services with favors, and I usually end up with chic and fashionable clothes."

"Well, that is true, but it does make you very luck, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does, but I still appreciate this outfit I'm wearing right now that Rarity made for me for the senior year all the same, Mom. But yeah, Dad, I'll change after Mom revitalizes me first."

"Good, I shall get the living set up for us in the meantime."

Sunfire did make her daughter a substantial smoothie full of vital vitamins and other key nutrients, along with a hale and hearty snack mix bowl. Both mother and daughter took particular joy in sharing as they are just absentmindedly chewing the fat about everyday things.

Finally, Sunfire was left to clean up whilst Sunset went to get changed, and when she emerged, she found her father had cleared the living furniture and gotten set up for a mediation session.

There were two lavender mats in the center of the floor, and calming nature sounds played on their sound system. He'd arranged symbols and icons from Buddhism, other aspects of Oriental culture, along with his favorite bonsai tree. (He grew bonsai trees as a hobby to relax).

He'd done this all in a way that promotes good energy as Sunset knew her father was a big believer in Feng Shui. Whenever they redecorated their home in any shape or form, he had to approve if it had the right flow of energy as they wanted the least negative energy in their home.

Her father was in a perfect mediation pose on the right, so she got on the left mat, and they began taking some deep cleansing breath as they tried first to cleanse themselves as they normally did.

Sunset thought this was the normal kind of meditation that they did when she was stressed and needed to really calm down. But this wasn't gonna be like that at all. For her father told her today, she was going to be doing something new.

Today they would start doing something that helps her with her stress and goes beyond that, even mind, body, and spirit. He believed this would help her with her duties as a Princess and her magic, and the task ahead of her.

She would be unlocking her seven chakras this weekend, and by doing so, she would potentially unlock more of the magic inside her. Doing this would help her figure out more of who she was and ultimately help her with what she and her friends had to do with both themselves and their magic.

It was going to be an exciting weekend for Sunset for sure, but if her parents believed this would help her in any shape or form, she was up for it. They hadn't led her astray yet, and any help is welcomed.

Her father told simply seven chakras throughout the body that each dealt with a different element and were blocked by a different emotion. One must move past that block to unlock themselves.

So they spent the weekend helping Sunset do this long process. She managed on Friday evening to unlock two of the seven: Earth and Water, which deal with Survival and Pleasure and are blocked by Fear and Guilt.

Part of this was also dealing with her own memories, and once she was able to let go of each of them, she moved past this. But the process was long and exhausting, and she couldn't do anymore and needed rest.

But the next morning, after a very early breakfast and get some help getting most of her homework done, she once again was with her father continuing to unlock them and got three more done.

She unlocked the next three, Fire, Air, and Sound, which deal with Willpower, Love, and Truth, and what blocked those was Shame, Grief, and Lies, and again after many long and exhausting hours, she completing in finishing that unblocking herself.

But her father saw this was taking a heavy toll on his daughter and told them they conquer the last two and unlock them on Sunday and agreed she needed rest.

Finally, very early at sunrise Sunset was more than ready to finish this because somehow she could feel her father was right. This was somehow working to help her deal with her past mistakes. Therefore she could feel it would help her with her future and help her with her own magic and the others.

Now came the last and hardest two. Light and Thought. They dealt with Insight and Energy and what blocked them were Illusion and Earthly Attachments.

Still, this was hard to figure out. Do you let go of your attachment to the Earth if one belongs to the earth? It was a riddle that Sunset wasn't sure she could figure out, but she did her best, and by the end of the weekend, she'd done what her father had instructed her in.

Feeling different both within and out and hoping this worked, she walked back to her room to finish the last of her homework. Just as she was finishing, she felt something coming from her hair.

She reached up, and her disguised crown flew off her head, transforming from a hair clip back into a crown and first gave a rainbow glow to tell her there was a friendship problem. Then it glowed orange, and an image of Applejack shimmered into the air.

"Applejack? She's got a friendship problem? Or is she _the problem?_ I don't understand. What am I supposed to do?" Sunset questioned aloud in confusion to the glowing crown, and then she was blinded as her journal was now glowing in tandem with her crown as if telling that was the answer.

Picking up her journal and looking at the glowing floating crown, she inquired the magical object once more, "Am I supposed to give the journal to Applejack? Is that what I'm supposed to do? What kind of friendship problem is going on? How am I supposed to help her?"

But the crown and journal unexpectedly ceased glowing, and things went back to normal as her crown become her hair clip once more. Sighing, she hugged the journal to her chest and whispered, "I guess I'm going to have to give the journal to her and see what happens."

That Monday morning, Sunset was the last to show up to meet her girlfriends, who already were in deep conversation on how they'd spent the first weekend of their senior year relaxing and getting their homework done. She was trembling like a leaf, not sure how she was supposed to handle this.

Looking at Applejack, she couldn't see what kind of problem Applejack could be having. However, she just knew from what had taken place last night that Applejack would have a friendship problem or else be tested, Princess Celestia hinted.

Gathering her remaining courage, she walked over to her friend and tapped her shoulder with the best smile she could muster. "Good morning, Applejack, might I have a word in private?"

"Sure thing, Sunset," Applejack replied though she looked a little confused as Sunset walked her over to the nearby magnolia tree and took another deep breath. "What the matter, Sunset? Something's on your mind, what is it? You can tell me. It's not good to keep things inside. Lying to yourself is the worst thing you can do, you know. If you have a problem, you need to face it head-on and be open and honest about it."

"I'm fine, really, I am, Applejack. I just wanted a moment alone with you to give you this," handing her the magical journal that glowed the moment it touched Applejack's fingertips.

"What? What's going on? Why are you giving me your magical book? What's going on?" she repeated to the Emissary of Friendship, who still looked a bit awkward as she did her best to answer.

"Well, remember how I told you on my last trip back to Equestira the Princesses suggest each of us take a turn writing in the journal? You know about our personal experiences and feelings, so they better understand the magic in this world?

And so we might have some help from our other selves in case we need to talk to someone who might understand this better than we do?"

"Yeah? So?"

"Well, I feel like the forces that be are telling me that honor should go to you first. So I'm bequeathing the book to you this week, and I'd like you to write in every day this week and return it to me this Saturday. I won't be able to read anything you wrote that will be kept private between you and whoever you address your letters to.

Still, I feel the book meant to be with you right now. So please do this for me, Applejack? Please?"

Applejack felt in her bones there was something more going on than Sunset was letting on but just nodded and put the magical journal in her backpack, and the girls returned to their friends and acted like nothing was going on.

Applejack didn't even get a chance to think about the magical journal in her bookbag till much almost bedtime. After school, she'd gone straight back home to the farm, but she hadn't gone straight to work.

Instead, she'd spend one hour on killing before she'd get to her chores, so she and Butch were out the unused field on the edge of the Apple's property riding the new ATVs Butch had just acquired for them.

Applejack found out she was a natural riding one and already only after riding one for half the summer pulling off quite a few stunts. She was whooping loudly with elation as they did killer jumps and flips on the course they'd made themselves.

"Eat my dust, Butch!" she called out to him as he was a mile behind her as they raced around the course at the top speed their ATVs would go.

"Not so hard on the throttle, Jackie!" Butch yelled out to her as they rounded sharply the last of the twisting turns, and she let out another whoop of joy as she beat him.

"Wow! That was so exhilarating! So much horsepower at my fingertips! I'm really enjoying having this baby! Thank you so much for getting this for me!" she exclaimed gleefully as she pumped her first into the air once before removing her helmet.

"You're welcome, Jackie. I'm just glad we can do this together for fun and blow off some steam at the same time. But it's now four, and you've chores to do, and I've to get back to the stables myself."

"Yeah, can't escape work forever. But it would help if you didn't run away from responsibility at all. Especially not when it's a part of your family and family sticks together through thick and thin!" she responded as she helped him load up his ATV into his truck, but he looked at her with a queer look as she said that.

"Butch? Is something the matter? You can tell me, what's on your mind?"

"I'd like you to be honest with me, Jackie."

"Me not honest?" she laughed like he was sarcastic, then she realized he was serious, "Butch? Come on! This is me, Applejack? Remember? The girl who is the Element of Honesty? Why wouldn't I be honest?"

"Alright, then I want the truth."

"Shoot, partner, what do you want the truth on?" she asked as they started to remove their protective riding clothes.

"Do you _honestly_ want to _stay on this farm forever? Do you_ _ **never want to do something more?**_ "

She looked startled as her hat fell from her hands, but she didn't pick it up. "Say what? Whatcha talking about, Butch?"

"I mean, when we were at Sugarcube last week, you said you never even consider college. Like that was never an option. Like your fate was already decided.

Jackie, I'd like to know, are you really so sure? That you really want to stay here forever on this farm and never go to college and see if they're something more you could do. More to this world then apple picking?"

"Butch…"

"No, I mean it, Jackie. Just because this land has been in your family for generations like the stables land been in my family for generations doesn't mean you're forever bound to it. You _do have a choice. Whether you take it or not is your choice._

I've worked at the stables my whole life like the rest of my family, Jackie. Yeah, it's all I have ever known, but it doesn't mean that it has to be my life forever. I could choose another fate if I wanted. So I guess all I'm trying to tell you is the same goes for you," he leaned over and kissed her.

"Love you, Jackie! See you later!" and with that, he got in his truck and drove off, leaving her with her head spinning. Her mind was still caught in a dust storm as she hurried back to the farm to start on her chores.

Though it was impossible now to concentrate on her work with her mind spinning like a mini-tornado, new thoughts and feelings were swirling around in there. Not just from Butch's words but places inside her she didn't know she even had.

She was so lost in her mind she was making a lot of mistakes and eventually ran into her big brother Big Mac and he really, not being a big talker, didn't even seem concerned that he was knocked over.

He just gathered his tools and headed back to the barn when his younger sister called out to him. "Wait, Big Mac! I need to ask you something!"

He turned slowly at her without saying anything, and she bit her lip before it came out in a rush. "So I was wondering something, bro, it's silly and totally ridiculous and…" she then looked at him and saw he wanted her to get to the point.

"Alright, Big Mac. Have you ever thought of leaving the farm? You know, leaving the farm all together? You know, going to college and going someplace far away and doing something else?"

He seemed to paused a moment to think about a moment and then replied, "Yep" She looked aghast at hearing him saying that and then asked him. "But don't you feel that it be wrong?"

"Nope."

"Can you explain yourself with a few more words then your normal one-word answers, please?"

"Nope."

"Ugh! You're no help! Your never any help when someone needs it!" and she stormed off only to soon come to her sister's treehouse, hearing a lot of giggling coming from up there.

"Apple Bloom? What in tarnation are you doing up there?"

The pretty young girl came to the window smiling down, "Oh hey, big sis! The girls and I were talking about how fun it's been being sophomores for a week! But you're the lucky one!"

"Me lucky? Why?"

"Well, you're senior!" cried Sweetie Belle, who appeared on Apple Bloom's left side.

"Yeah, so?"

"That means you about get to do all the fun stuff and won't be a kid anymore! You'll finally get to be an adult and go to college and get on out of Canterlot and see the world! Who knows what adventures and amazing things you and your friends will do?! You've already saved the world just at the high school! Imagine what you'll do at college or after that!" cried out Scootaloo on Apple Bloom right.

"Yeah, sis! You are so beyond lucky! You've six best friends, magical powers. You're a senior and about to go to college and get to get off this silly farm! You'll do the most amazing things ever!"

" _I'm not leaving! I won't ever leave! No Apple should abandon their family or home!" she screamed angrily!_ And stomped off, and the girls looked at each other, wondering if they said something wrong.

Applejack still seemed weirdly moody for the rest of the day, and her mood didn't improve when Granny Smith called her to her room for a private chat that night. She didn't know what her grandmother wanted, but she wasn't expecting what she got.

Granny Smith told her that she and her parents had set up trust funds for Applejack and her siblings so they could all go to college and get an education and do something more with their lives then live forever on the farm.

Applejack yelled at her grandmother that couldn't be true. That this was lies, and why did everyone want her to leave? Why betray their family and their home? Why change everything? She wouldn't be unfaithful!

For the rest of the week, wherever Applejack was, everyone notices a drastic change in her behavior. She was very moody, distracted, snapping at anyone who talks to her, and also seemed to be muttering to herself about something.

Applejack started to isolate herself that week, spending time alone riding her ATV, and each day she got more reckless, screaming an argument out loud as she zipped around the course.

She was screaming why she shouldn't go to college and stay on the farm and then why she should go and why a change was good, but there were many mixed and conflicting feelings.

Finally, Friday night, she noticed the journal had fallen out of her bag that she'd even forgotten Sunset had given her this. Sighing, she felt she should vent all her feelings and wrote a letter addressing it to the Applejack of Equestria about her problems, asking her what she would do in this case. Feeling if anyone could understand what was going on, it was herself.

When Applejack woke up on Saturday morning after her tremulous week, she found the journal was glowing and opened it to see her letter to pony Applejack had been answered.

She expected something different then what she got. What she got was Applejack the pony telling her about how she got her key to the Chest of Harmony by being true to her Element of Harmony, when she told every pony that the Film Flam Brothers' Cure-All Tonic was a fake.

Her advice was for Applejack, the girl, to be honest with herself and realize her true feelings. To share them with her friends and friends, she would figure out the truth in the end and solve her problems.

Applejack, the girl, got an angry look in her eyes, screamed in frustration, and slammed the book shut. "Some advice! I should've known a stupid pony wouldn't be able to help me! What a load of crap! Like I'm not honest with myself?! Oh, that's it! Screw that!" and she quickly got dressed and stormed over to Sunset's home.

Sunset was hardly dressed when Applejack appeared at her front to practically shoving the journal in her arms. "Here's your book back. I did what you said, and it was constructive. I'm sure it will help everyone who gets a turn. Gotta go. Chores to be done. See you later!" and she stormed back towards the elevator, not even noticing her friendship ring flash once a brilliant orange before fading completely till it was dull and completely lifeless.

Sunset looked shocked and not understanding at all. But her worst fears where confirmed when she got back to her bedroom and no sooner had she put the book back on her nightstand than did her crown come off her head transform and give the sign she'd hoped it never would.

The crown glowed orange once till it fades all the way to nothing. Sunset knew what this meant in the pit of her stomach and fell to her bed and cried. "No! I failed! No! Applejack's lost her magic! What am I going to do?! What if this happens _again?!"_ she cried as she looks out her window in sorrow.


	6. Kindness Problems

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Voice
> 
> Azure Skies- Azura Skye is actually in the Sandra Bullock movie 28 days who plays a 17-year-old heroin addict, hence the character.

Sunset felt so distraught over what had happened to Applejack she didn't know what to do. Her first impulse was to call Twilight and tell her what happens. She had almost finished dialing her cell phone to call her best friend up and stop one number short and put the phone down in despair.

She realized she couldn't even tell Twilight this, and that made her feel even worse. She couldn't tell her best friend whom she'd confided in about her secret life, this which had been her biggest secret and that hurt worse than when she laid on her deathbed only a few short months ago. Sunset felt Twilight, and she was two peas in a pod, and out of all the girls in their group, she felt closest to her.

Because they both been in the other shoes, both had saved the other's life, and neither would be here or know anything about the Magic of Friendship without the other. They truly shared a deep and powerful bond that the others didn't understand, and it was almost like being sisters in a way. Nevertheless, this was one thing she couldn't share with her best friend, her sister, and it stabbed her right through her heart, not being able to.

Not because she didn't trust her, for she trusted Twilight with her biggest secret last year, and she'd done everything in her power not to betray her. Rather for the reason that she didn't want to scare her that this was most likely gonna happen to her and the rest of the girls, and she had no way of stopping it.

So all Sunset could do was weep in her bedroom miserably for a good hour till her parents came in to comfort her and managed to get the story out of her. She was screaming how she was a failure as a Princess, a rotten friend, and the biggest coward ever. And she continued to verbally assault herself till her parents sharply said "Sunset ENOUGH!" in Japanese, and she stopped beating herself up long enough to listen.

Her mother wiped the tearstains from her daughter's eyes while cradling her close to her chest as if she was a little girl and not almost an adult, whereas her father sung one of her favorite songs to her till she finally calms down.

"Feeling better, my fiery angel?" asked her father as she caressed her face, and she nodded with closed eyes still glistening with leftover tears as she held his hand.

"I feel so awful, Dad. How am I gonna handle this? It's _my fault. All my fault Applejack lost her magic. How am I supposed to tell her? Or stop it from happening to the others?"_

"Sunset Shimmer, you listen to me, and you listen well," Yin Yang made sure her aqua eyes met his indigo eyes and that she was paying attention to every single word he said.

" _None of this is_ _ **your fault. Never think any of it is your fault, my daughter. It is not your fault!"**_

"But Dad…my crown and journal…"

"Sunset, think for a moment, please. Take a breath and think about what Princess Celestia told you when you're in Equestira and what you yourself said about what senior year is about, and what you do understand about magic so far in this world," her mother cut in sharply. "Just take a few moments and think about it very carefully."

Sunset took a deep breath and tried to process everything her parents were saying slowly, and she also took into account what her friend Midnight had coincidently said, and the answer came to her lips so easily it was like it was there all along.

"Do you think the feeling Princess Celestia was feeling and the vague prediction Midnight coincidentally made was foreshadowing this? That somehow all seven of us will at some point be tested? Like we will have to face our elements in a way that makes us confront ourselves in a way none of us are prepared for?"

"That does seem logical, Sunset, and as we guessed, some of your ponying up does seem to be trigged by heightening chemicals in your brain. Furthermore, you figured out during the friendship games you also ponied up when you're true to yourselves and your elements. It would stand to reason if you girls weren't true yourselves, you'd lose your magic, would it not?" her mother hypothesized.

"That would make a lot of sense what your mother is saying, and even you told the Princesses and Prince that senior year is like a quest in and of itself when you're trying to figure out who you are. And sometimes, it means you lose a little of yourself along the way.

When you're on the edge of the threshold to a brand new chapter of your life, you're tested in so many new ways, and maybe taking away your magic will help you all figure out more of who you are, so in the end, you really know the who you really are in this quest we must all go on when we end one chapter of our lives and start another. The end of childhood and the beginning of adulthood," Yin Yang proposed to his daughter why this was going on and why she had to let it happen.

Sunset was almost ready to resign herself to let this happen when the crown and journal began to repeat what they did the previous weekend, and it showed this time it was Fluttershy who would be tested.

Sunset suddenly felt all her parents' resolve just told her, even though it made perfect logical sense to drain out of her. She bolts from the room, ran to the kitchen, came back with a lighter, and was going to torch the magic book, not willing to let this happen again.

Though her parents had both taken many kinds of self-defense classes, as had she but they managed to overpower her and got the lighter from her and again managed to tell she'd to let this play out the way it must.

Sunset finally had to admit her parents were right, and she had to do what was expected of her. But it didn't mean she had to like it, and they agreed she didn't have to like it, but she had to accept it.

So like the previous week, she'd pulled Fluttershy aside to the magnolia tree for the same conversation and very reluctantly, with her heart tearing itself apart bequeath the book to her for the week even though she knew what was going to happen at the end of the week.

The school was still a big pain in the ass, but they managed to get through it no problem. The girls reminded Fluttershy they'd a homework/study session that Wednesday night at Twilight's house, and she said she'd be there. She reminded them that she had to catch a bus to meet Rusty at Rainbow Haven Rehab Center.

The girls all asked Fluttershy if she was truly ready for this. Fluttershy asked them what they were so worried about. She would help many sick kids who needed to be shown some kindness to help them get better.

Normally it is Applejack who'd tell her there was more to it than that. But Applejack was still being very moody, angry, and not herself. So the other girls took the reins and tried to explain to Fluttershy just what the horrors of addiction did to people and how kids who were addicts looked and acted like.

"Now, girls, I know you don't think I'm brave or strong enough for this. But give me some credit. I've faced a lot of meanies since we received our magic. I think I can face a few sick children who need a little kindness that no-one obviously showed them before.

If you excuse me, I have got a bus to see you, girls, on Wednesday night. Bye!" and she hurried to catch the next bus.

"She's gonna be eaten alive!" Rainbow Dash blurts out loud as soon as Fluttershy rounded the corner.

"Well, you could say it a tad nicer, Rainbow Dash, but yes our poor innocent Fluttershy is not gonna be able to stand up to the horrors of that forsaken asylum for worshipers of poison!" Rarity concurred.

"Well, it sure ain't gonna be a party for her, that's for sure." Pinkie Pie noted for once, talking sensibly.

"Don't you think we're a bit too hard on Fluttershy? Like we're not giving her the benefit of the doubt? Like she wants to do this, so maybe she can do this? And we should believe in her, no doubt her?" Twilight suggests.

"Twilight, I have known Fluttershy since middle school. Trust me, she's not ready for this and nowhere near thick-skinned enough for this!" Rainbow Dash replied firmly.

Neither Sunset nor Applejack said anything for two different reasons. Applejack was still lost with her own problems, and Sunset was carrying her own terrible secret and didn't want to say anything at all and risk letting it out.

Fluttershy had a very positive outlook when Rusty joined her on the bus when they picked him close to the school he and Butch both attended near the outskirts of town.

They're taking the bus to the rehab center that was two miles in the most beautiful natural setting, and Fluttershy has still had a very positive outlook about the whole things.

She was going over her plans to help the poor darlings in a little pink notebook she'd spent the last few weeks written in. But Rusty showed the same expressions that her friends had shown and cleared his throat as the bus was nearing their destination.

"Um, Fluttershy?"

"Yes, Rusty?" she looked up from reading her plans how animal therapy was gonna really help these poor souls.

"How much do you really understand about the drug culture or self-harm? Or this lifestyle at all?" he asked tentatively.

"Well, I know drugs aren't good for you, I know a lot about sick animals, and I know people can make mistakes. So I don't see how helping a sick child who made a poor choice who in need of kindness can be much different," she replied, and he looked shocked.

"Um, Fluttershy? Did your English Class ever read the book called " _Go Ask Alice_?" a book that was the diary of a _real drug user?_ Or have you seen the 2000 Sandra Bullock movie _'28 Days"?_

Do you understand child abuse, neglect, and things like that? The unkind world _?"_ he seemed to be really pressing her, but the look on her face showed she clearly didn't understand the point he was trying to make.

Fluttershy just looked confused, and he put his face in his hands and whispered, "God, please help us."

Finally, they got there, and from the first glance on the outside, Fluttershy thought the place was picturesque. It was calm, tranquil, and lovely. She didn't see what everyone was so worried about. Though the minute she walked through the door, she got the shock of her life.

This was a rehab center for kids 12 to 19, and she was immediately horrified by what she saw. She'd seen very sick animals, but the conditions of those animals paled when she conditions the kids in the lobby alone.

These were kids her own age, and she could see through bulletproof glass three new kids being checked in, and though she didn't know at the moment, they're heroin addicts, and one was a dark haired girl who had cuts all over her body too.

She saw people who looked deader than dead from all the different drugs and alcohol, and their scars were scary.

They're soon greeted by a young redhead young lady who asked if they're two young kids who'd volunteered to be junior councilors this year, and they nodded. The lady introduced herself as Mayday and began showing them around and giving them a rundown of the place.

Rusty was asking Fluttershy if she needed to step outside, and she told him she was fine.

The first thing to do was help the new arrivals get settled, help out with the kitchen preparing snacks, then a group therapy session, prepare for a lecture, and interact with the patients and help them personally.

Fluttershy was assigned to help the only girl in the new arrivals while Rusty took the two boys.

The girl was terrifying to Fluttershy in many ways. Her overlong shaggy hair was as dark as night with streaks of azure blue with what seemed glittering bluish-black predator eyes. She was so pale and, in fact, almost a walking skeleton with a lot of cuts all over her body.

She escorted the girl to her room, and all the way down the hall, she had tried to engage the girl in conversation. The girl didn't really say anything except look at Fluttershy as if she was praying. She didn't even tell her her name.

"Oh, look at how lovely this room is!" as they entered the girl's room, and she started to put the girl's bags down. "Look at how beautiful and pretty it is. You've got a beautiful view of the lake and trees with songbirds to sing you awake every morning.

And the room is such soothing and pleasant colors it should help you forget about all those unpleasant memories of …the bad things that hurt you," as she pointed to the lovely soft green curtains with butterflies and soothing light blue walls soft yellow carpet.

Fluttershy was humming as she continued to put the girl things away and pointed out how things were best clean, organized, and kept telling how wonderful this place was to help her get a new start in her life. "Think you're getting a second chance, and you'll be happy and healthy when you go home! You'll be so much better. Isn't it wonderful?"

All this time, the girl hadn't really spoken, then she got eye level with Fluttershy and finally spoke, and her voice was nothing short of evil. "You want to shut up now, Miss Sunshine and Daisies?"

"Huh?" as she started to back up as the girl was evilly looking at her.

"You think _I wanted to come here? Especially to listen to someone like you say, 'Oh, live a lot of sunshine and rainbows? That a big fat lie! And you don't know anything, you moron!"_

"Um, I'm just trying to help you, Miss…"

"My name, if you have to know, is Azure Skies. What's your name, Miss Moron?"

"Fluttershy."

"Well, it should be Miss Moron. You don't know what it's like in the real world where life is bleak, cruel and that life is not a magical happy fairytale! You have not a clue what the dark side of life is like!

You think everything is like a fairytale, I can tell! You've never seen a shred of darkness or seen anything truly evil in your life or seen a true act of cruelty. So let me get one thing clear to you, Miss Moron!

I'm only here because the police picked me up and threw me in here, or I'd still be enjoying something that really makes this terrible, miserable reality that is fucking life worth living!

So don't even think of trying to save me! Kindness is as much a joke as you! It doesn't exist, and neither does happiness or any good! It's a lie! So stay out of my way! The sooner I escape this prison, the sooner I'll be happy! Now fucking get out!"

Fluttershy ran from the room, scared for her life, but once she was far enough away almost become determined to help save one soul in this place. She'd save Azure.

So that became her goal, but it soon became the more she tried to show kindness to the girl, the more she was treated like shit and hurt, the other teenagers showed her that her kindness wasn't wanted in many ways.

Like Applejack, Fluttershy didn't share her feelings or experiences with her friends and kept it all bottled up inside. And slowly, it started to eat away at her as she began to lose touch with herself and her element.

Just as Applejack had done, she decided on Friday night, after other disasters attempt to be kind and help Azure out. The girl had almost attack Fluttershy sought help by addressing her letter to her pony self, hoping for some advice.

Just like Applejack with the pony, Fluttershy recalled the story about the time she'd been tested with her element of kindness and received her Key by having to let the Breezies go home. And just like Applejack hadn't heeded the words of her pony self and not understanding the point of the story, Fluttershy too didn't heed or accept the advice.

She didn't return the book with anger like Applejack to Sunset. She did it in sadness, but her ring flashed too, and so did Sunset's crown when she was alone, and she still cried at the loss of Fluttershy losing her magic all the same.


	7. Can you laugh with problems?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Epiccartoonsfan did the following picture

Sunset Shimmer was in her living at the moment, strumming on her guitar without really taking in what she was playing. Her mind was racked with the guilt that two of her friends had lost their magic, and she hadn't had the guts to tell them.

Her parents had assured her this wasn't her fault and this was most likely was gonna happen even if she wasn't a Princess, and this was just something they'd all have to go through for some unknown reason they figure out later.

Though even though her parent's comforting words of wisdom had done well at the time to calm her, they didn't help her overall feel any better truly nor take away the guilt she felt about it all.

As Sunset sat on the window seat playing, two things were obvious. She wasn't aware of the world around her, and two, she was thinking of deeply troubling thoughts being lost in her mind.

She only came out of it when she heard someone playing the melody from her favorite " _Phantom of the Opera_ " song, " _All I ask of you,_ " and looked up and saw her mother at her grand piano looking at her daughter with a warm small but a worried look in her eyes.

"You're more lost and confused then Christen was at the moment, darling," she said as she closed the piano up and leaned on it, still smiling warmly at her daughter.

"Well, Mom," her lovely daughter started to say as she put her guitar on the ground before looking her back in the eyes, "she was caught up in a bizarre love triangle and looking for something to heal a heart that never really healed after her father's death. And there were a lot of symbols with both the songs and the overall whole world."

"I know, Sunset, that why we bought the DVD and watched it. Great music, good story, and it's educational at the same time," she replied softly in a knowing way.

"Well, I do love the overall story, and music is wonderful in so many ways," she replied in a wistful tone with a smile creeping along her face.

"I know your music right now isn't healing you but shows you're depressed. I understand why, but is there no song that would lift you right now, my love?"

"Mom," Sunset started to say before stopping to really consider her words. Then began again. "You do have a gift for the world of arts and music, plus you do study so many other areas of knowledge you are, as you told Twilight, a jack of all trades and master on not one."

"I'm proud of that fact and done my best to pass that onto you, my daughter."

"I'm blessed in many ways for what both you and dad have given me in many ways and what you've taught me, for you've both taught me a great deal. And yes, I'm sure all of it will help me both in this life I've chosen for myself and later with what's to come in my Princess duties…"

'But right now, it's your Princess duties that weight so heavily on your mind still?"

"I know you wish to cheer me up as you'd normally by playing me my favorite songs from my favorite movies, which you do so perfectly, or Dad again would insist on more ways like yoga or something to help my mind and spirit be free.

But at this point and time, I don't think either is gonna help. Neither is what my thoughts were stewing about. I know I cannot contact Equestira for help either and ask for advice on this problem for three good reasons."

"And why have you conclude you can't ask for help when we all need help at times?"

"Well, partly the first reason is I need to learn to solve my one problem as a princess and stand on my own two feet, Mom. I need to learn to do this by myself, don't you agree?"

"That is true. We must all learn to do things for ourselves without others holding our hands. You learned that during the Friendship Games. What is the second reason?"

"Kind of what I also learned during the Friendship reasons. The Princesses and all of Equestria have their own problems, and they've to deal with them and can't be bothered with my world problems all the time either. It won't be fair to bother them with every little crisis that pops up that I am supposed to be learning to handle for myself."

"Again, very true daughter. But I suspect there is a third reason. So what the third and final reason you won't contact Equestira and ask for help?"

"Because Princess Twilight, who may have helped start me on the right path, is very busy right now with something that requires her full attention. Her son. She and Prince Fledge have a child to take care of right now, and being a parent should come first and not helping me with a problem that I should be learning to handle on my own."

"Well, I'm glad you're thinking of others and putting their needs before their own, and you understand that a child must come before your needs. So I'm very proud of you for that."

"I learn that from you and Dad that your child must come first,"

Sunfire then hugged her daughter tightly as they're hugging, a burst of light broke them apart, and it was the crown and zooming from her daughter's bedroom was the journal, and it showed it was Pinkie Pie about to be tested, and Sunset groaned as she sank to the floor.

"I know you are already feeling horrible as you know what's going to happen, but you know this can't be stopped, sweetie."

"But Mom, this gonna be worse since I know when it's gonna start thanks to Twilight's Friendship Dates Schedule!"

"Huh?"

"Last month after the first day of senior year at Sugarcube corner, we planned out to the last date everyone's schedule for the first three months of the year of where we'd all be and what we are doing!

We've been in school for a month now. And I know this week is the first party week of the school year, though I also know Pinkie Pie plans to 'spice up' party at people who go to other schools, thinking it's just the challenge she needs to spread laughter and fun!" she moaned loudly as buried her face into her knees.

"I really think I understand this one quite well given what I know about your friends, and I've seen what kind of girl Pinkie Pie is. I see this almost makes you feel like your appendix is gonna burst from the pain this gonna bring."

"Maybe it _will burst_ by the time this is over," stuttered Sunset as her hands were trembling as she held the journal in them.

"I'll drive you to school on Monday to give you strength, honey. And I'll be watching outside to keep you strong," her mother told her as she placed her warm, delicate hand on her shoulder, and Sunset folded her own hand over her mother and whispered, " _Arigato, Mama, arigato." (Thank you, Mom, thank you)_

" _Anata wa kangeidesu, watashi no musume. Watashi wa anata o aishitemasu." (You're welcome, my daughter. I love you."_

It was only because of her mother being there even out of sight that Sunset even had the strength to do what she'd come to hate by bequeathing the book to Pinkie Pie, her normal bubble naïve self was in no way prepared for what was to come in her future.

It also didn't lighten Sunset's mood, or anyone else's in the group for that matter, because of the drastic change in two of the Mane Seven's personalities. For both Applejack and Fluttershy, ever since they'd lost their magic, they were no longer acting like themselves. They're little by little becoming two people the other girls couldn't recognize at all, and it was getting scary.

Twilight did her best to try and keep the girls on track by breaking the growing tension by reminding them all that tomorrow they're supposed to get together for a homework/study session for some of the advanced classes they'd be tested on next week.

The girls all said her Friendship Dates reminded them all they're supposed to meet at her house at six a clock sharp, and they'd be there and not to worry. Pinkie Pie said she be so pumped up because she'd have leftover party fever madness since she was going on her party crusade tonight!

And before the other girls could say another word, their bubbly pink hair friend bound out of the cafeteria skipping, and they looked at each other sigh collectively. Finally, Applejack, who for one moment slipped back to normalcy, said.

"She's got no idea what real teenage parties are like, does she?" though this was still said in a bit of a moody tone.

"No, Applejack, she ain't got a clue. Though when has Pinkie Pie ever had a clue? I mean, really? She put cake frosting on the poster for the musical showcase!" Rainbow Dash reminded them as she then took a big bite of her apple.

"Well, I wouldn't be one accused of telling a falsehood and not say our darling Pinkie Pie is a tad childlike, to put it politely. She is rather a touch too immature for her age and…"

"And Rarity, she doesn't understand that her ideas of parties are more appropriate for grade school then it's for high school and college! You know, and we all know where Pinkie's going tonight and Wednesday, and Friday no-one knows her, and they'll eat her alive!" Sunset exclaimed and got straight to the point.

"Though the kids from Crystal Prep here liked her party style and cannons when I first came." Twilight pointed out.

"Twilight, yes, living up a much need a bland and deathlike party, yes, but we are talking about a more normal crowd where cupcakes and confetti are gonna be found childish and stupid with kids who are more interested in each other and experimenting." Sunset was quick to point out.

"Yeah, everyone here loves Pinkie Pie and her antics and that she can make you laugh. Though outside CHS?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if others might find her a joke and laugh at her and not with her." Rarity concurred.

"Yeah, she does seem a bit, not all there at times."

Their fears and worries weren't unfounded at all. Because when Pinkie Pie came to the first party, she had heard about that she felt needed the "Pinkie Touch," which was in a neighborhood she'd never been in before and was full of kids she'd never been with before who'd never met before her friends' worries were quickly coming true.

Pinkie Pie knew how to get into any party, but these were kids who went to a totally different high school who never heard of magic and were very normal in every sense of the word.

Seeing a girl in bright pink and blue, she stuck out like a sore thumb. Then her childlike personality made her even more of a joke. Then how she tried to make the party fun.

Everyone had a good time just listening to rock music and having make-out sessions. Some were smoking and drinking more adult drinks and not eating little kids' food.

Then Pinkie began to spice up the party in her own way. She first shot off her cannon, and everyone stared at her in shock. She like they need to ditch the harsh music and put something happier on and changed it to more fun music, a happier song and then threw balloons and streamers and somehow gotten rid of the adult food and replaced it with cupcakes, candy, cookies, and cake and then showed them what a fun dance was.

At this time, she got the laughter she wanted to hear, but she didn't realize when they're laughing at her for being such a joke, an idiot, and an imbecile and freaking child.

She started to suspected it when she left and said to herself, "Well, Pinkie, another party you helped saved!" and then heard out just around the corner of the house people laughing. So she looked and saw them making fun of her, sneering and jeering, calling her a joke.

"I'm a joke? But how…how am I a joke?" she was confused and not getting how she'd failed to bring laughter and fun to a party and why had they'd been making fun of her.

This confusion just continued that she wasn't really paying attention as the others were trying to help her with her homework and studying for their upcoming exams next week in their advanced classes. Her mind was only on how to make those kids laugh at the party tomorrow.

So the next party she tried even harder at the next party she went to being bigger and more exuberant and pulling out of some of the best party tricks, but in the end, she just heard more people treating her like a laughingstock.

The pain and confusion only grew, and it was too hard to concentrate in school or do her homework and set and determined on Friday, she finally brings joy, fun, and laughter to that last party. She went all out and went even more out then her pony self did when Cheese Sandwich had come to Ponyville.

But in the end, all it did was finally make everyone laugh right to face and call her the most vulgar and degrading names they could think of, and she ran home in tears crying her little heart out.

Seeing the journal she'd been neglecting, she wrote a letter to Pinkie Pie asking what she had done wrong. Why hadn't she'd been able to bring laughter to her fellow kids, and why did they laugh at her and not with her?

Like Applejack and Fluttershy, she was simply told the story of how Pinkie Pie the pony obtained her Key to the Chest of Harmony and how she'd been true to her Element. Still, of course, she didn't understand the meaning of what her pony self was trying to tell her or how it related to her situation at all.

Pinkie Pie's hair was completely flat, and her eyes sad when she came to Sunset's home that Saturday morning to give her the book back and tell her that she was gonna find some different kinds of parties for a while.

Sunset saw to her dismay as Pinkie Pie turned to walk down the hallway away from her ring flash and die, knowing she's just lost her magic died too. Closing the door slowly, she fell to the floor, for her inside felt as if a balloon of pain and guilt had just popped, knowing another friend had just lost their magic.


	8. Problems with Loyalty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inuyasharocks01862 did the following pictures

Sunset Shimmer was tossing and turning in her bed that night, sweating gallons and clutching her bedsheets in terror from what was playing out in her mind's eye.

Right now, in her mind, she was living one of her worst nightmares since she'd had her three reoccurring nightmares about the dreams of her own death. This nightmare was just as graphic and horrific and filled every bit of her with just as much terror.

She was riding her Alicorn self through a twisted combination of both the human world and Equestira with the others, and their true loves also mounted on their pony selves. Their human selves wield burning hot torches and pitchforks. Their pony selves had their own magic, and their elements of harmony back them up.

They're screaming angrily at her, cursing and cussing at her as both versions of herself tried to escape. Blaming her for the loss of magic. To bring the destruction of magic. And if she was going to allow them to all lose their magic, they end her life before she took their lives completely away.

Eventually, they shot her Alicorn self down, and she has then tied a stake ready to burn as soon both Sunset versions were screaming bloody murder as they're dying.

And she woke up screaming as she buried waking up her cat, who'd been trying to wake her up before the nightmare's climax. Daybreak was still trying to help Sunset recover when a blinding flash informed them who was next on the chopping block, and it was Rainbow Dash, and Sunset just felt like she rather still be burning.

"Why?" she asked her cat as she held her close to her heart and stroked her, "Why must we lose a part of ourselves to find ourselves, Daybreak? Why does such a terrible deed have to occur? How is this gonna make us stronger to lose our magic? Why was I given this crown if it only meant I had to seal the doom of my friends?"

Her cat could lick her face gently, brush away the tears and trying and comfort her. Sunset knew she couldn't do this by herself any longer and had no strength to do it by herself. Her mother had picked for her at the animal shelter where Fluttershy volunteer, she whispered, looking down at her beloved cat.

"Well, both Twilight and Fluttershy sneak their pets into school every day and never get caught. You're coming with me to school this week, and I'm sure we won't get caught. I hope you don't overheat or get claustrophobic Daybreak merely purred.

The next day Sunset was extra careful how she packed her backpack. She made sure to pack an extra cold water bottle that she'd put the top of a baby bottle on so she could suck the water out of it. She also packed some of her mom's homemade animal snacks in case Daybreak got hungry.

Then making sure the back was left open enough to let some air in, she was ready. Asking her parents to lift her to school, she prayed and hoped having Daybreak with her would help. Daybreak was enjoying being with Sunset and was perfectly fine in the bookbag.

She could hear the fear and anxiety over the exchange between Sunset and Rainbow Dash when she heard Sunset bequeath the book to Rainbow Dash for the week and wanted to get out there at that moment and comfort her special friend but knew it wasn't the time.

Though she could tell her presence alone helped keep Sunset steadier and stronger and able to focus on her schoolwork that day and not the nightmares and fears that been consuming her for the past two and half months.

When the end of the day was occurring, she heard the girls talking again. She could hear the girl Rainbow Dash informing the girls that she and her boyfriend Soarin were gonna really start her training so she'd be ready for the Day of the Scholars in the spring to win an athletic scholarship, hopefully.

The other girls wished her well but not to overdo it, and Rainbow Dash just said her trademark word that she was awesome and had nothing to worry about at all. The other girls left to go their separate ways to meet up with their boyfriends, but as Sunset was on her way to meet, Sunrise Daybreak caught a scent she didn't like.

Climbing finally out the back, she tugged at Sunset's hair. "Oh, sorry, Daybreak. Sorry, I didn't let you out sooner, but we had first to leave school property before I could take you out. How did you like school?"

She looked at her, gave her a friendly look, and seemed to communicate to her it was fine. But that something was troubling.

"What is it, Daybreak? I know you well enough I can speak to you with Fluttershy magic that made Spike able to talk or ask you how she's got the gift of gab now. But is something bothering you now? It wasn't your stuff in my bag all day, was it?"

Shaking her head, no, it was the bag. She is just acting a little agitated and then made her eyes go shifty and seemed to be saying something that didn't click at first till Sunset got it. "Are you saying you sense someone untrustworthy just passed us?"

Nodding again, she jumped back into Sunset's arms, and they looked all around, but they're alone, and Sunset realized she'd not been paying any attention to who'd been passing by her, and with Daybreak, in her bag, they didn't know who had just passed them by or why they're untrustworthy.

"Ugh! If I hadn't been so lost in my own mind thinking about those nightmares from last month, I might actually know who just passed us by and figure out why they're untrustworthy and if they're a danger to someone we know!"

"Sunset? Are you upset and who you are talking to and what about?" called out her boyfriend Sunrise as he pulled up on his scooter.

"Oh, Sunrise, you're not gonna believe this!" as Sunset started to tell her boyfriend what she and her cat had happened to them.

Back at the school, Rainbow Dash and Soarin were going over every sport they could go over and pushing themselves to the limit. Soarin had timed Rainbow Dash on all track events, and she greatly improved there. She also hit ten home runs, five field goals, nine bull-eyes, and well everything just seemed to be going good today.

But one good day wasn't good enough. She wanted to succeed, that she wanted absolute perfection. And when she did make even the slightest mistake, she was acting like it was the end of the world. Like when they're practicing soccer, she missed the ball because she was so tired she fell trying to kick it.

"Ugh! That was so un-awesome! That was totally unacceptable!" she was belittling herself when Soarin was helping her up. "Chill out, Dash. We've been at this for four hours, you're tired and dehydrated, and you haven't taken a break. We've done enough for one day. Let's go home."

She shook herself free and looked at him like he lost his mind. "Are you crazy, Soarin? I can't make a mistake! If I'm not absolutely perfect, not at my most awesome, I'm _never gonna get that scholarship!_ My parents cannot afford to send me to college. A _scholarship is the only way I go! I can't mess this up!"_ she actually was crying a little.

Soarin hugged her in a reassuring tight hug as he stroked her rainbow hair. "It's gonna be okay, Dash, don't put so much pressure on yourself," he was telling her, unaware someone from the shadows is watching them.

Someone was eavesdropping on their conversation and looking particularly interested in Rainbow Dash. The way this shadowy person looked at her was as if she was prey as they even licked their lips as if they just found an easy meal.

Soarin' told his girlfriend he would go home and go home to get some rest and relax. Calming down some Rainbow Dash said she clean up the equipment and return it to the school before going home. She was rounding up the last of the school's soccer balls when one escaped her and went into the bushes and when she went to get it, she jumped back in shock.

There was a girl she didn't recognize hold the ball. She looked about college age. Like 20 or 21 at the most. She had short golden hair and matching eyes. She was clearly a very skilled athlete, give her body type, and it showed in the tight greenish mini t-shirt and gold shorts with matching sneakers. She had a necklace on that was a lightning bolt with three stars as well.

"Um, hi, thanks for getting the ball," Rainbow Dash stumbled for something to say as she reached for the ball.

"You're welcome, kid. You're a really gifted athlete, aren't you? The best of the best at this school, I take it?"

"Um, yeah, I'm the captain of all the sports teams, in fact. I'm Rainbow Dash, by the way, and you are?"

"Lightning Dust. I must say, Rainbow Dash, you really impress me, and I'm not easily impressed."

"Um, one, why are you impressed, and two, what are you doing at CHS after hours? Only CHS students should be at the school after hours."

"Oh, let me explain. I couldn't help but overhear you talking with whom I assume is your boyfriend? You see, I too am the captain of all the sports teams or at least the Girls Varsity Teams at Dreamstone College."

"Really?! You're the Capitan of the Varsity at Dreamstone?!"

"Yes, and I make it my business to check out the local high schools in Canterlot and neighboring tones to check out who'd most likely be on the scholarship list for a potential scholarship. And then help the ones who have the most potential and most deserving of it get it so they can join the teams I manage.

I was scooping all the other schools for the last few weeks around Canterlot, but _you Rainbow Dash_ clearly are the only one with the talent and potential to get that scholarship."

"Really?! You really think so?!" she was jumping up and down with joy.

"Well, _I do, but Spitfire?_ She's not so easily won over," Lightning Dust said, crushing Rainbow Dash like the dust that was in her name.

"Oh,"

"Hey girl, don't let your dreams be dashed so quickly. I can help you like I've helped a few other worthy candidates get their scholarships."

Rainbow Dash's pink eyes brighten, and she looked up said, "You can?"

"Yeah, if you do everything I say and follow my training program and on the day Spitfire comes and let me give you the edge you need to ensure you get the scholarship, you'll soon be taking my place as Captain of Dreamstone Varsity teams.

"An edge?" she questioned uncertainly.

"Don't worry about that right now. That's not till the day of the trying out for the scholarship. But think about it, Dash, if you want my help or not. I'll be back at the end of the week to find out your answer if you want my help or not. See you later." And with that, the older girl got into her car and drove off, leaving Rainbow Dash caught between two choices.

Rainbow Dash continued to train each day hard and push herself, but the conversation with Lightning Dust, which she told no-one about, kept playing in her mind.

She was trying to decide should she stay loyal to herself, her friends and believe she could do this. Or trust some total stranger who she didn't even know who was possibly lying and might want to do something underhanded to get that scholarship?

Lost like all the girls before her and needing someone who'd understand her problem, Rainbow Dash contacted herself in Equestria, and she got the same story as the others did. The story of how Rainbow Dash the pony had to be true to her loyalty element and thus found her key to open the Chest of Harmony.

Though just as it was with Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash herself didn't understand the significance of the story or how it gave her the answer to her problem heed any of the words of wisdom.

Instead, like the three girls before her, she merely returned the book to Sunset and the moment the book exchange was made was the second the magic from Rainbow Dash's friendship ring was lost as she, like all before her, lost touch with their element and themselves.

Sunset could only lock herself in her room with only her cat to cry as her nightmares were becoming a reality!


	9. Generosity has a problem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Charismatic- Chris Patton (Asura from Soul Eater)

The first three months of school had passed quicker than the girls had anticipated. They'd finally grown accustomed to the schoolwork's demands and the need for a lot of serious mind-numb cram sessions and a literal mountain of homework almost every night.

They're frequently at one of their homes trying to their homework and study at the same time. Sometimes the boys were there. Other times not. Tonight the boys were busy doing their own study session by themselves at Fledge's place while the girls were at Twilight's doing their own.

They'd a lot of healthy food and drinks to keep them well-fed and hydrated as well as hopefully boost their brainpower, but the snacks did little to improve the strange behavior that half the group had taken on in the past three months.

It was becoming increasingly hard to ignore the changes in Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and now Rainbow Dash, all acting very strangely and very out of character.

Applejack, for one, was now getting even more depressed and bottling up more her feelings more. Fluttershy was getting more withdrawn and introverted, almost not speaking at all. Pinkie Pie had become very listless and seemed to have no energy in her, and Rainbow Dash was acting paranoid, jumpy, and suspicious of everyone.

Twilight had her concerns for her friends, as did Sunset. Twilight tried to get help from both Sunset and Rarity though she was running into trouble getting it.

Sunset seemed to have something on her mind and was probably stressed from her new duties, so Twilight didn't want to pressure her. So, for now, she left her alone.

Rarity, on the other hand? She just thought her friends new 'eccentrics," as she called them, was just how they're handling the pressure and demands of the last year of high school and felt there was no need to be concerned at all, and they'll all be more or less normal in a few weeks.

Twilight was having words with Rarity about this in a private conversation and was about to ask Sunset for her support when Sunset felt her crown start getting warm and quickly excused herself to use the bathroom.

She knew what was coming and she knew before the crown fully transformed that it was Rarity's turn to be tested. She knew that Rarity would fail her test with her element like all the other girls before her and that she loses her magic for failing to be true to her element.

Still, Sunset felt trapped and helpless by what had become her cursed duty to perform and felt she must do what was asked of her and felt if this must be done, then she had no choice in the matter but to let it happen again.

So as they're packing up for the night and Rarity reminded everyone she wouldn't be able to attend next week study groups, as she was going to help Suave at the college prepare a party to formally welcome the new students from foreign countries to the college, Sunset's heart sunk so low she doubts even her own name sunk as low as her heart did.

Sunset sat quietly next to Rarity in Twilight's mom's car as they're being dropped off, and as she was handing her the book, she asked if she was gonna be okay at the college next week, and Rarity laughed at her.

"Darling, why wouldn't I be? I'll be with my handsome prince getting ready for a ball! How can I not be happy for a beautiful fairytale? It will be a magical night for sure the party on Friday night. You're really fretting over nothing, Sunset dear. My prince and I will be fine! Ciao darling!" as she got out of the car and hurried into her home.

Rarity may've thought she was in for a fairytale that week, but she had no idea this was gonna start out as a dream only to end in a nightmare.

It started that Monday after school when Suave picked her up in his purple Peugeot 308 GTi that he'd imported from his home in France. He gave her a long stem red rose, and they kissed before they'd back to the college to get things ready for the party.

Along the way, Rarity was talking about all her ideas for making the party perfect to highlight everyone's respective culture and welcome them to America and, of course, show off some of her best fashion ideas.

Suave laughed that Rarity couldn't help but use this party to inspire her own creativity for a clothing line and asked him questions like how many people and the countries they're coming from and things like that again.

They'd exactly 12 students' six girls and six boys from a different country from around the world, from all the continents except, of course, Antarctica.

This course only sent Rarity into overdrive in her creative planning and asked if it would help the students feel more at ease if they'd helped a little with the party planning. You know shared some ideas and helped decorate and show off some of their cultural heritage?

He thought she was very kind and quite generous like always. When they pulled up to the dorm that housed all the exchanged students Suave who was the RA of the dorm house.

Suave kindly introduced Rarity to the sixteen college freshmen who all seemed unsure what to make of the high school student at first. She responded to their uncertainty by greeting them very affectionately and then began to instantly spread both her charm and generosity around that put the rising tension that had been building between the new arrivals.

Rarity's generous spirit was the perfect solution as she did through both song and action help everyone learn to embrace their difference and work together to help get the dorm house ready for the proper formal party to really mingle and really get to know each other.

She first got three of the girls from Spain, Vietnam, and Nigeria to combine their natural gifts in their courtiers respective dancing to make up dances by combing their moves to entertain at the party.

The three girls finding out they all were talented in dancing and loved learning the other two girls' steps, found this a fun experience and thanked Rarity for her suggestion. She said it was nothing, and she'd even have by Friday native outfits done for them to perform them for everyone in style as well, which really made the girls happy.

She found the other three girls from Indonesia, Argentina, and New Zealand loved art, so asked them to use their art skills and blend them with what was native to their lands and make the decorations while also making sure to incorporate the rest of the other members of the group which they agree.

Three of the boys from Iceland, India, and South Africa loved to cook, so she told them to cook both foods they enjoyed and cook food from the other countries to all sample the other countries' food.

Two of the last boys were talented in music, and they came from Mexico and Croatia and knew they'd do their best to play their own music and try and blend others' music.

Everyone was busy doing all they could to learn from each other with who they'd a common factor with and become friends with and hopefully at the party they'd all become friends with.

So while Suave helped oversee all of them and get the house ready, all things seem good till Rarity realized there was one person who hadn't fallen into the groups of three.

She looked and saw the one who hadn't fallen into any of the groups. It was a lonely boy who'd been staying shyly to the side. He'd long purplish-blue hair with pinkish eyes and was rather pale looking. She thought he was at least stylishly dressed but wonder why he'd offered anything when she'd been asking what they others had in common.

She walked over to him, where he sat in the corner of the dorm's main living space, and greeted him kindly. "Excuse me. I don't think I've had the pleasure to meet your acquaintance. My name is Rarity. Whom do I have got the pleasure of meeting?"

He looked a bit startled she'd spoken to him or that anyone had spoken to him but finally shook her hand and spoke in a timid voice, "I'm Charismatic, Miss Rarity," his voice had a thick Italian accent.

"Nice to meet you, Charismatic. Is everything alright, darling? Um, was there a reason you didn't join the others in any group for setting up for the party this Friday?"

"Umm…no…it's just I'm not…"

"Charismatic?"

"Yes?" he asked, looking very nervous and tongue-tied.

"Despite your name, I take it you're a little shy and find it hard to be comfortable in new situations with people you don't know, am I right?"

"Yeah, my name is very ironic. My mom named me "Charismatic" because we're Italian, but I've always been rather shy and awkward."

"I see, so you've had a hard time making friends?"

"Mostly yes. Didn't really have friends back home in Italy. My parents really made me come to America, hoping it makes me less shy and I become a real Italian man and 'buck up' some."

"Well, I have a friend who sorta shy, but she nice just the way she is. So why don't you tell me what you do like doing?"

"I'm an excellent photographer. I like taking photos, writing poetry, and drawing. Things I can do by myself."

"Well, I've got a suggestion then. Why don't you be my assistant this week and help me with what I need to be done this week for the party, how about that?

You can help me sketch designs for the clothes I need to be done, and maybe write some poems for everyone's respective cultures and help photograph the clothes. I'm trying to make as many clothing lines done as possible to really help my chances of getting into design school when I graduate at the end of the year."

His pale face flushed a bright pink, and he smiled happily and nodded enthusiastically.

So Rarity's week went like that, helping her boyfriend at his college and getting help with her clothing line from Charismatic. Still, she had to admit it was getting a bit uncomfortable how he kept invading her personal space and seemed a bit overeager in pleasing her.

While at the party on Friday night, when the students were all making friends and a blast learning about each other, it was a really great cultural exchange. However, Charismatic wouldn't mingle with anyone. He kept trying to talk to Rarity and spend the entire night with her.

Rarity told him he'd to spend some time with the rest of the students as those were his roommates, and he'd to learn to make other friends. He also tried to get between her and Suave as he got insulting and almost physical with Suave when the girls teaching dance showed them how to do a couples dance and Charismatic tried to hit Suave.

Rarity and Suave felt they had to get Charismatic out of the party, so they called the Campus police and had to spend the night in what was consider the 'jail' of the campus. Students who caused trouble stay if they really break the rules or else need to be truly removed for the safety of other students.

The experience shook up rarity, and when Suave dropped her off that home that night, she was more shaken to find her cellphone full of a text message from Charismatic. There was literally a 100 in just five minutes.

She was getting petrified and immediately contacted Rarity, the unicorn, for advice on what to do with this problem and went to sleep praying for an answer. Though the answer she got when she checked the book in the morning was Rarity telling herself about the Key to the Chest story, she felt that had no bearing to what she was dealing with.

Still frightened and paler then usual, she ran to Sunset and knocked once, and fled from the apartment, not even waiting for Sunset to open the door or realize her magic was gone. Sunset just felt the pain of another element of harmony is lost, but she still had no idea how much worse it was really gonna get with her friends losing their magic!


	10. Twilight's Heartache

It was very romantic as the two best friends enjoyed a double date full of double the romance. Sunset was with Sunrise as Twilight was with Fledge, and it was just a nice chance to escape one night from both the pressures of senior year and the secret burden that Sunset was carrying for almost four months now.

They're enjoying a pleasurable boat ride down the river doing some stargazing under the light of the full moon. They'd even just witnessed a pair of twin shooting stars, which seemed to be a romantic omen of sorts.

For the moment, everything was right in the world, and it was just romantic bliss, and every other care in the world was forgotten as the boys wrapped their arms around their loves to warm them up with their body heat and kiss the back of their necks, only for the girls to tilt upward and kiss them on the mouth.

"It sure is beautiful tonight and peaceful, isn't it, Sunset?" Sunrise whispered to her, and she nodded but still seem distracted.

Noticing this and because she'd notice her best friend had seemed very troubled ever since the senior year had started, Twilight coughed then shivered visibly.

"Is something wrong, Twilight? Are you getting cold?" Fledge asked concerningly to his love.

"Um… yes, it is late fall, and the first frost will be here soon. Why don't you both get us some blankets and hot cocoa? I'll keep Sunset warm while you fetch them. We'll be fine for a few minutes alone."

"Alright, if you're sure."

"I'm sure, Fledge. You and Sunrise head inside and get us some blankets and large cups of cocoa with mini marshmallows, and we'll be okay."

"They'll be alright, Fledge," Sunrise assured him as he yanked his best friend's jacket sleeve and whispered, "Besides, it looks like Sunset and Twilight need some 'girl talk' time anyway. So let's take the long way to get those blankets and cocoa, okay?"

"Yeah, your right, of course, bud. Let's let the sisters talk. After all, they're closer than sisters as you and I are closer than brothers," they nodded and took their time going to get what was requested of them.

Twilight slowly approached her best friend, and the girl she did view also like her sister. That was how deep their bond was as they both literally been in the other shoe and had both saved each other life.

"Sunset? You alright?"

"Huh? Oh! Twilight! I didn't realize you're there. I guess I've really realized a lot of what's going on in the world lately," she sighed as she looked out at the moonlit indigo water sadly.

"Something troubling you, and it's been eating you alive for nearly four months now. Sunset, I know you better than anyone, and you know me better than anyone else. We are more than best friends. We are sisters in all the ways that matter!"

Sunset sighed and smiled at Twilight with a nod. "That's true. How could we be anything less after all we've been through? What we've shared? Both the experiences and secrets? I trusted you with my secret life when I didn't trust anyone else with it. I told you all my fears, insecurities, and everything."

"Just as you're the first person I told that Fledge asked me out. I've always come to you first if I had a problem. You've helped me in more ways than I could imagine, and there is no denying we've saved each other in every way imaginable and that included saving each other from death."

"That's true because one way or another, you would've died if I didn't step in and save you when Midnight Sparkle took you over. And if you hadn't contact Equestira and had them combine the magic of two worlds? Then I would be dead, and there be no Sunset Shimmer at all. Not here or in Equestria as they both be in the grave."

"So we agree we share an extraordinary unique bond that no-one can explain, and it's a friendship and sisterhood all its own, correct?"

"Yes, I suppose that the best way to describe it."

"Then please, I'm begging you as both your best friend and sister tell me what is plaguing your mind? You've been keeping something to yourself, and I can tell it is killing you. What is it? You can tell me anything, and I swear I'll keep it private. You can trust me. You know that!"

Sunset looked at her best friend, her sister, and then turned away with tears in her eyes and seemed to be fighting with herself, and Twilight was taking her hands into her own and pleading with her for the truth.

"If I tell you the truth, you swear you won't get mad? That you won't hate my guts or blame me for what I'm about to tell you? Because what I'm about to reveal I don't know the how, why, or ifs about I know it is happening but nothing else."

"Just tell me what is going on?"

Sunset was just about to come clean with everything when the boys' untimely return cut off any chance of a confession. There was no way she could say the truth aloud to them all. So she just kept her mouth shut about it.

They enjoyed the rest of the boat ride and went home with it seemingly slipping Twilight's mind as she forgot to ask her about it as Fledge's family personal assistant Helena took them all home.

However, what started as a romantic dream turned into a true nightmare when Sunset came out. The second she got home before she could even call out to tell her parents she was home, her crown came alive, and out of her room zoomed her journal, and the double image of _Twilight_ _and Fledge_ came to light, and Sunset went pale as the book settled into her hands.

She stared long and hard at the book before a look of determination crossed her face with a snarl. _NO! I will never allow Twilight or Fledge to come to harm or lose their magic! I won't allow it! Not over my dead body will I let this one happen! I'm going to make sure this one_ _ **does not happen! Not to Twilight!"**_

She hurried to her room, got a large trunk out of her closet, and emptied the contents then put the journal at the bottom before burying it under the heaviest things she could find in the room. Then she locked the trunk up and ducked taped it shut as well. Then weighed it down even more with as many heavy objects as she could before locking it back in the closet and moving a piece of furniture in front of it.

Feeling satisfied, there was no way that journal was going to get out of that and no way for Twilight or Fledge to contact Equestira, and if that was what trigged the magic loss, they're in no danger.

Exhausted, she fell asleep in her clothes on her bed, thinking she'd outwitted the stupid magic of Equestira. She was a fool as the next morning, her mother yelled she would be late and barely had ten minutes to get ready for school.

She was barely out of her apartment door with her parents telling her that she needed to remember to set her alarm clock and her yelling apologies in Japanese at them.

The journal locked inside the chest was burning brightly with magic, its light shining so bright it was blinding. The energy kept building and building until it finally exploded, and Sunset's closet door was blow off its hinges. The journal flew right out the open window and seemed drawn to the school like a magnet.

Zooming so fast it was a blur before it settled itself into Fledge's backpack! Not, of course, that he noticed at all. He was a bit too distracted at the moment, taking a significant history test.

Things seemed to pass without incident that day, and nothing seemed to suggest a problem or that Fledge's element of the dream was endangered, or he was losing touch with it.

And Sunset had no idea that her journal was even at the school, so she was delighted that day. She remained in good spirits till she came home from school and saw that her closet door had been blown off its hinges, and she knew what had happened.

She immediately called Twilight up and asked her if she'd seen her journal, and Twilight said no, she'd not seen it at all, and why was Sunset asking her if she had seen it?

Sunset said she had to go and ran franticly into her parents' room, practically screaming at them that they had to get to Fledge's mansion ASAP before realizing he had her journal and did the stupid thing of writing in it and lost his magic!

However, it was already too late for that. Even as Sunset was practically yanking her parents' arms out of their sockets to get them to the car, Fledge was already deeply involved with a real time conversation with his prince self in Equestira.

But they weren't talking about anything to deal with his element of dreams. Rather what they're talking about was Twilight. Or rather him and Twilight and if he and this world Twilight were only together because of their Alicorns selves meeting first and having a child, and did he ever have a choice? Were their feelings even real or just because of Equestira?

Fledge the human had many dreams, including the dream of true love, but he wondered if he and the Twilight of this world only 'loved' each other because of them being married and with a child in another world, and he was discussing all this with his Prince self.

Now Prince Fledge was very wise and had a pretty philosophical side to himself. He'd given good advice to many ponies in Equestira, all of the Mane six except his wife and several other ponies' hell he'd even given Princess Luna advice!

It was rather odd giving himself advice, but he stated his feelings on the subject.

He told himself that these questions wouldn't have come up, to begin with, if he hadn't found out about Equestira in the first place. Secondly, what do you think it is like for him and his Twilight if they found out that their human selves met first? And did it really matter?

True love and soulmates were the same in every shape, form, and world. And it didn't matter who came first or if one happened before the other. The point was true love was a gift, and you only had to get it right one time. So to him, different bodies and different meetings, the story be the same always that they're soulmates and they'd always be together.

He felt Twilight was a soul mate and that he loved his Twilight for his own reasons, and he was sure Human Fledge loved his Twilight for his own reason, but no matter what, he felt true love was the same no matter what.

This still didn't really help make human Fledge feel any better than the other girls had felt about their other advice. He was still feeling like was his Prince self saying everything was set in stone and there was no choice in the matter? Did he not even have a choice in love? Could there be someone else other than Twilight in his life? Someone else who might be his 'true love?"

By this time, Sunset had reached his home and came to the front door. "Oh hi, Sunset. I guess I know why you're here. I don't know how this got in my backpack, but here you go. I'll see you tomorrow at school," though the second the book slipped from his fingers into hers, she knew it was too late. He'd lost his magic.

And it only crushed her more the next day after school when she learned what had caused Fledge to lose his magic and now what was taking away Twilight's magic. Magic came in many forms, and it looked like for Twilight, her magic was only able to come when her heart was full of joy, happiness, and love, but as she came running in tears of sadness, it was clear her heart was broken.

Sunset hugged her sister tightly and not caring when the magical loss, only that her friend's heart was broken. Twilight got out between her sobs of sorrow why her heart was in agony.

Fledge said they needed to temporary breakup to see if what they had was truly real or just because of their royal selves in Equestira and told her they should see other people for a little while.

And now, her heart was broken into a million pieces from her true love telling her he didn't think they're meant to be. She stopped crying long enough to curse Equestria for causing the breaking up and screaming. She hated it, and she planned to tell herself that.

Grabbing the journal away from Sunset, she angrily wrote to Princess Twilight what she had just cost her and was even angrier when Princess Twilight replied she sure that she and Fledge would make up her Fledge made up after their marital spat. He'd saved her from the Nightmare Princess Jadis.

Screaming and crying again, she flung the journal to the ground and stomped on it, but of course, being magic, you couldn't destroy it though it made her feel better.

"You got it out of your system now?"

"Yes, I think so. Sorry about my tantrum."

"You're in pain. You have every right to throw a tantrum."

"Yeah, I guess so. So how about you? You never told me why you're upset?"

"That's not important at the moment. C'mon, I'm gonna buy you a triple hot fudge sundae so we can drown that heartache in extra chocolate. Let's go, my sister."

And with that, both the best friends/ sisters' head to Sugarcube Café, and Sunset just hurt so badly knowing she had caused the one person she cared about most to have a broken heart, and that was even worse than losing your magic was losing the love of your life.


	11. New Princess New Problems

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> April Moon (Midnight's aunt and guardian) Minnie Driver

Sunset Shimmer was now hanging out in an extraordinary place to try and hide from her problems. She was with her boyfriend and her friend Midnight at Midnight's new home at her Aunt April Moon's dry cleaners, "The Lucky Moon Dry Cleaners."

Her Aunt April Moon ran a very modest business and was involved in lots of charity and volunteer events, already noted by her niece. She and her aunt lived in an apartment above the business.

The actual dry cleaner was a bit different than your typical dry cleaners. There was a small play area for young children for customers who had young children, a small snack bar with a digital jukebox, and a few computers. So people could hang out and get a snack, listen to music, and surf the web.

April Moon also made sure the place was full of vibrant colors, cool designs, and lots of pop culture icons. She also still had a large bulletin board full of local advertisements for jobs, volunteer projects, and things of that nature with the donation boxes nearby.

Next to their friend Tecna's mom, Beauty Mark's Salon was a nice place to hang out if you need your clothes cleaned and a break. Also, Midnight didn't want to brag, but her Aunt also had a talent for giving good advice and being someone people could come to if they're looking just for someone to talk to about anything.

So this was right after coming back from doing some riding at the stables. Midnight seeing Sunset really was losing her mind, suggested she and Sunrise come back to the Dry Cleaners with her to help her sorting clothes for the needy and unwind.

The only ones to unwind were Sunrise, and Midnight Sunset was only becoming a tighter knot. She was supposed to be sorting maternity clothes from night clothes and kept messing up.

Finally, Midnight knew Sunset was about to pop and decided to help her do it gently. "Um, Sunset?"

"Huh? Yeah, Midnight?" she asked, showing all signs of a pressure cooker about to explode.

"Look, I know you are three seconds away from exploding like a volcano, so why don't you just let out your silent scream that been building right now? There no-one here but us, and trust me, my Aunt's not gonna care if you scream. So just let it out now before you do it someplace you'll really regret it."

Sunset looked at her friend before drawing and breath and let out one long scream of rage that lasted at least a good five minutes before she began to rant and rave about what had been bothering her all this time.

She confessed that all of her friends had lost their magic, and she knew she'd lost her own because of it and how she hated that she was unable to prevent it. That she just let it happen and everyone was gonna kill her if they found out! That she was a failure as a Princess and all of her other fears, doubts, and anger that been building.

"Does it feel better that you now freed yourself by letting it out, Sunset dear?" came a voice behind her.

Whirling around, they saw a stylish, dressed pink-eyed woman with hair that was a mixture of hues of pinks, blues, and purples. "I can't imagine holding in that much negative energy is good for anyone, and letting it out at least must make you feel at least partly cleansed."

"It does feel getting off my chest finally, April Moon, even if it doesn't solve my problems. I do feel at least like I can breathe again, at least."

"Glad to hear it. Any of you kids like my brownie milkshakes?" she offered them to the three teens, who gladly took them.

"So, Aunt April, what do you think about Sunset's problem?" inquired Midnight to her aunt.

"Well, I, for one, think Sunset, you need not blame yourself or think any of this is your fault. I agree with your parents that this was gonna happen one or another, and whether you were given the title of Princess or not, it was meant to happen.

Sunset Shimmer, you have to realize you're not the cause of your problem or the source of it. There is a reason each lost their magic, and they will have to figure it out on their own, just as you will. That just a part of life we all go through."

"Even if that's true, Ms. Moon, that's not gonna fly with the others! Really what am I supposed to tell my friends?! They still think I'm the source of their problems! How can I tell them the truth if I'm not even sure of it myself?!" Sunset's voice was not only laced with anger but now rising with hysteria and huge tears. She had jumped up and was acting a bit wild as she cried to the cool young woman.

"That they lost their magic?! This is even worse than the fall formal! They'll hate me again! I can't go back to everyone hating me! I'll be alone once more! I can't do this!" and she collapsed to the floor from her emotional meltdown.

"Sunset, you can do this, and your friends won't hate you, and they won't kill you either. Nor will they blame you for their problems." Sunrise told as he tried to take her hand in his, only for her to swat him away as she still was a puddle on the floor.

"It's hopeless, Sunrise. My life is over. Everything that made my life have meant all my happiness is gone, and now I'm about to lose my friends because I'll be forced to tell them this awful truth!" she sobbed so hard.

"Sunset, listen to me! You have more strength, you realized, and you did something this scary and hard before and come out on top. And it because of that I fell in love with you!

I know the real you and so do your friends! They won't hate or abandon you even because of this! They love you, and so do I! I've loved you for so long, and it hurts me I didn't tell you sooner or ask you out sooner! Then maybe you've had the courage you needed sooner to believe in yourself!"

This caught her attention. I looked at his ocean blue eyes, slowly got off the floor, and looked at him. "What are you talking about, Sunrise? What do you mean you loved me longer then I've known it? You're saying you fell in love before we met at my parents' company picnic?"

"Sunset Shimmer, I've loved you and wanted to be your friend since the second you said you're sorry at the fall formal," Sunrise confessed, which shocked Sunset as Sunrise looked a bit ashamed of himself and carried on with his secret.

"I told you when we first met at the picnic, I always believed everyone deserves a second chance, right?" she nodded, and he continued.

"I saw how much you're struggling to turn your life around, and I found you so attractive when you started to show who you really were. I couldn't help but want to help you or tell the rest of the school off because I could honestly see you really want to be different and were. But I was a coward and well too shy also to approach you."

"Coward? Shy? I don't understand."

"I was coward because I couldn't tell the rest of the student body to cut you some slack and give you the chance to really show you're trying to change during the time the Sirens were messing with everyone. And I was too shy to talk to you myself or what I really want to do and ask you out on a date."

"Wait! Wait for a second. You want to ask me out?! Like before the picnic?!"

"I fell head over heels in love with you the second the words "I'm sorry" left your lips after Princess Twilight helped you see the light, and the more time that passed and the more I saw the real you. I only fell more in love, and if it wasn't for my sister knocking you over, I may never even had an excuse to talk to you ever finally!"

Sunset was very taken aback that Sunrise was now as crimson as her hair right now, and he finished making his point. "The point is some things go unsaid, but once people know the real you and they love you, they won't turn their back on you for anything.

I don't care about who you used to be, Sunset. I love the person who becomes and were meant to be. That's who you're friends love, and know who your truly are too. And they won't hate you no matter what. Even if they aren't happy they've lost their magic, they won't hate you for this. Love and Friendship are much deeper and powerful than even this."

"Sunrise's got a point, Sunset. I never actually hate you. That was my parents making me act like that. I wanted to be friends, and you helped me make friends. I think friendship will win out even if your friends are at first upset and angry I think you're all too close for them to hate you for something you have no control over." Midnight added as she was helping get Sunset fully off the floor.

"The bonds we have with the people we love are a lot stronger then we think, and if people let petty things destroy them? Then they're really close-minded and don't see what really matters.

Look in your own heart, Sunset? Tell me honestly, were you girls happy before you become endowed with your magic?" inquired April Moon.

"Yeah, we're happy and blissful being normal teenager girls before I helped bring it here with Princess Twilight, and I guess if it did go away forever, we could learn to live without once more and still be happy."

"And why do you think that is?" the woman asked, her pink eyes glistening, and Sunset knew the answer already.

"Because the real magic of friendship isn't the powers or the elements themselves. It's the friendship with the friends themselves, and if we never ponied up again, it is alright because we still have each other."

"Correct. That's one half of the problem solved. Though the other half is for you and your friends to solve is why you lost your magic in the first place. However that you know…"

"I know we have to figure out on our own what caused us to lose our magic, and if we're to get it back, we have to figure out why we lost in the first place. Still, I must inform everyone they have lost their magic, though."

"Yes, everyone must know the truth. I think it is best done at the lake. And it would help if all of us were there. I think if all we boys were there, it might make it easier for the girls to take the news."

"Well, I don't know if that's gonna work with Twilight and Fledge, who are still apart right now, but we got no choice. Send a text and have everyone meet at the lake this Saturday, and we'll inform them of the news, Sunrise."

"Alright, sending and Twilight's computer will take care of the rest," as he sent the text, and yes, Twilight's computer program instantly put it into Friendship Dates and alerted everyone's devices.

Now the only thing to do was to see how this was all gonna play out. At least they didn't have to wait long as Saturday was only two days away, and though no-one knew why they're being called to the lake, it was gonna be a day no-one forgot.

Sunset and Sunrise got there first and waited for the others to arrive. They came in a few different cars. But it was clear from first glance none of the girls were the same girls they'd been before the start of senior year. They'd all changed dramatically by whatever event had caused them to lose their magic.

Sunrise had made a warm fire for them to sit around and bring hot chocolate and blankets. Once everyone was cozy as they could get, Sunset told them she had something significant to tell them. She only requested they let her speak first and withhold all questions till after she was finished speaking, which they granted.

She then started at the beginning of what had taken place when her crown started acting up and then revealed slowly that they all somehow had lost their magic, and she didn't know the reasons of how or why.

She didn't know if it was temporary or forever. She just knew all of them, including herself, had lost all their magic and had no knowledge or ideas how they could get it back or if it was possible. She just said she was sorry it had happened, and it seemed like it was gonna happen even if she hadn't been made a princess.

The girls and Fledge's initial reaction was, of course, shock, anger, rage, and disbelief. They tried touching their friendship rings and ponying up but found they could not. They tried to do their special gifts and found they couldn't do that. It seemed Sunset's words were true. They had somehow lost their gifts.

They were all angry, and it seemed for a moment they were about to really blame Sunset for this problem, but it really did help the boyfriends were there. They pointed out that no one knew or understood the magic they possess, and if the girls and Fledge didn't understand the source of their power, they couldn't blame Sunset.

Even if she'd given them the journal and her crown had told her something, there was more to this than that, and something bigger must be going on. So the boyfriends suggested the best thing, for now, was to get their minds off whatever was troubling their minds and anything to do with Equestria and magic, and maybe that could help them regain their magic if they took time away from it.

Agreeing they did need a long break from all this stress and something else to focus on for a while, they realized they all had Drivers Ed class starting on Monday. That class would take two months, and hopefully, by the time it was over, and they all hopefully got their driver's license, they'd be cleansed enough they could start to figure out why they'd lost their magic.

Feeling somewhat better, they finished their cocoa and went back to town to start studying for driver's ED and hope that maybe again, taking time away from the magic of Equestira, things might get better. At least that was the hope.


	12. Driver's ED

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mr. Horsepower- Alex Kendrick- Adam Mitchell- Courageous 2011 (If you haven't seen that movie you have got to see it! It's a must-see it! Believe me, whether you're religious or not, the message it sends needs to be seen and heard by all)

It was less then a week since the gathering at the lake when everyone was told the awful news they'd lost their magic. There was no doubt it was true that their friendship rings gems were lifeless, and not a soul could pony up or use their powers.

Thus, at last, heeding someone's advice, they'd decide that had been made at the lake. Something they prayed would actually help the eight powerless young teens. The girls and Fledge hoped by focusing on something else entirely for a while would help them get their powers back later.

Therefore, for now pushing aside the problems that had causes them to lose touch with their individual elements, that they'd refused to acknowledge to themselves, or still refused to tell anyone else in the group, what was really bothering them at all, they threw themselves full-throttle into their next class; Driver's ED.

It wouldn't be normal if a teenager weren't excited about getting their taste of freedom of being behind the wheel. It was CHS policy due to some incident some years back that destroyed the east wing of the school that only senior's received Driver's ED classes.

When the students all hurried in for their first Driver's ED class, the doom and gloom that had filled the eight of them seemed to be lifted a little as the only thing they could think of like the rest of the class was being free to hit the open road.

But it was like that hope was squashed the second their teacher walked in. He was very gruff, stern, and didn't smile. He had a military look about him with his body type and hairstyle. And if his body and facial features looked military, his clothes read cop as his outfit looked almost like a cop uniform if you could ever turn it causal.

"Hello, class. My name is Mr. Horsepower. You will address me as such. I will make the rules of this class very simple. There will be no horseplay in this class of any kind. You will be disciplined, you will adhere to all the rules, and you will pay full attention and get distracted by anything. Have I made myself clear?" he said in a tone that again reminded you either of a military man or a cop—someone not to mess with at all.

"Yes, Mr. Horsepower, sir," everyone said in unison as if they're responding to a drill sergeant.

"Good, now let me make this clear also. You think this is about getting on the road as fast as you can and having fun? I'm here to teach you driving comes with rules, responsibilities, and consequences and seriousness of those consequences. And _you will learn and accept those realities by the time this class is over. Understood?"_

"Yes!"

"Good. Now for the first two weeks, we'll be going over the driver's manual. I want you to spend every moment of this class reading it till you can say it backward in your sleep. So you are to study it till you get to that point.

Then the following week, we'll take both oral and written tests. A week after that, we'll do the simulators, and then and only then, _if I deem you worthy,_ will you be given a permit and start practicing with a certified driver on the open road and here in class.

The final test will be conducted by myself, and then I'll will decide if you pass and can go to the DMV and get a license or not. But first, let's see if you _can learn what needs to learn and understand the consequences before you get_ _ **behind the wheel!"**_ he snapped, and everyone jumped again.

He then paired people up to take turns reading the manual out loud to each other and have them try and memorize it. At the end of the class, he would randomly call people and ask random questions from random sections and see if they took any of them.

After day one, no-one, not even Twilight, could get one of Mr. Horsepower's questions right, and he told them all to study the manual for two hours that night and try this again tomorrow.

As the girls left the classroom, they let out a sigh. "Is that man trying to teach us to drive or run us over with the car before we can drive it?" Rarity inquired while looking at her broken nails she had gotten. She'd been so scared of the man her manicure had broken from gripping the desk too hard.

"Not, sure, Rarity. I've seen broncos who weren't as tough and as mean as that man at the rondo, that's for sure," Applejack concurred.

"Well, he was un-awesome, that's for sure."

"I don't know how am I ever gonna drive a party van if I can't even figure out what this silly book says!"

"He so harsh and cruel he'd likely make roadkill instead of teaching us not to run over poor little critters!"

"It wasn't that bad really when you think about it. He's just trying to get us past the dream of what most teens see driving as and get us to understand the reality that driving is," Sunset pointed out to the shock of the other girls who looked ready to pounce when Twilight added in her defense.

"She does make a good point when you think of the statistic girls of how many accidents and fatal come from teens and young adults who recently got their licenses or just accidents with driving in general.

I think behind his rather harsh manner, all Mr. Horsepower is doing is making us understand that there is a severe side to driving, and we need to remember that over the fun side we think of normal at our age is all."

"Both Twilight and Sunset are making good points. Driving is fun and freedom, but you have to remember you are controlling something that has a lot of power behind it, and one slip up even in a second could mean life or death, and that's all he's trying to get us to understand, girls." Fledge told them.

He and Twilight looked at each other awkwardly and looked away. They still were 'seeing other people' As far as the girls knew, both of them had already been on dates with at least one other person so far, but neither had gone well.

Fledge's mother set up his dates, and her first pick was an upcoming actress named Emmy. Though from what got back to them through the grapevine? Emmy had been pretty, shallow, and a head full of sand.

Twilight? She had no real option at first but to give Flash a try since he was the only guy she knew who had 'liked' her. But that had gone terribly wrong and just felt wrong all over.

So it was from an outsider's perspective, both of them seeing at least those two others had been a bad idea.

But shaking their minds clear of what to make of Twilight and Fledge's problem and focus on what they promised themselves to focus on was driver's Ed.

So for the next two weeks, when not in class and during any chance they could, they'd be reading that manual to each other till they could say the damn thing to each other by heart.

It really seemed to impress Mr. Horsepower when they could answer and quote any section of the book by the end of the two weeks and when they also all got perfect scores on both the oral and written tests.

Finally, it was time for the simulators like old arcade games you sat down in, and while an old film projector played a movie, you pretended to drive along with it and the arcade game part recording your results.

The film was never the same twice, and it had all kinds of roads, twists, and surprises, and yes, some of it, despite being an old film, got too realistic and caused a few students to have a panic attack.

Eventually, everyone got high enough scores to receive their permits and could start practice with the real thing—an actual car. Now for any Friendship Date, the girls would be driving along as a legal driver was with them to get as much practice in.

Fledge even told them there was a large unused area of the parking lot at the college they could practice during the weekend. So during the weekends for three hours, the girls and their family members were at the parking lot practicing.

Despite the loss of magic and the major inner turmoil that was going on in each of the girls and Fledge, it did seem that since they're so focused and bound and determined to get their own driver's licenses that it was at least helping them get time away from their problems.

So when it came time to take the driving test, they felt more than ready than the rest of the nervous students. One by one, each student was called first to take one final written test and then the actual driving test.

Since the test was done on a Friday, they'd have to wait till Monday to find out if they passed or failed and if they could get their driver's license or not.

Everyone was holding their breath when Mr. Horsepower posted the list and the top eight students who passed? It was the girls and Fledge who did the very best! They all hugged and cheered, and for one split second, in that moment of joy, friendship, and love, their rings flashed for a moment. For one fleeting moment, their magic had come back, and it was gone again, but it meant there was hope.


	13. Problems with Honesty 2

Applejack felt a bit better as she was pulling up to the Lucky Moon Dry Cleaners with Sunset sitting beside her. Sunset got out of the farm truck first to go inside and get Midnight and her aunt, and for a moment, Applejack just smiled.

She was smiling for the first time in a long time. It was halfway through the school year, and despite the problems of the senior year and the loss of their magic, it didn't change the one happy fact of what was going on right now. She'd just gotten her driver's license and now was able to drive the family's truck legally.

So she was at least happy to give her restless mind a couple of hours break from the storm that had been ripping apart for months to enjoy doing a good deed. Whilst none of the girls knew the simple reason why they'd lost their magic or how they might get it back, or it was possible, they were still trying to do well in their lives.

Sunset's friend Midnight's Aunt April Moon had asked CHS students if they might have any old things they wanted to donate to charity. So Applejack had spent the weekend with her family cleaning up the attic and found plenty to give away.

It was a much-needed spring cleaning anyway, and anything to donate to those who need she felt, was a good thing. So making sure she'd parked perfectly, she got out and started to help unload the boxes they'd collected from her family's attic.

"Careful, Midnight! That the fragile stuff you're carrying!" she called out.

"I'll be careful!"

"God, I wish Butch was here to help, but I know his family had to come first," Applejack said with a sigh as she unloaded the last box, giving it to April Moon, and took one for herself.

"What's wrong with Butch's family?" April asked kindly as they took the donations to a back room where Midnight and Sunset were busy sorting them. The charity truck is here tomorrow morning to collect all the donations, but everything needed to be sorted properly.

Sighing as Applejack put the box holding old cooking wares on the ground next to the box of kitchen knickknacks that April Moon been carrying, she sighed, "Butch's mother in the hospital."

"Oh, is it serious?" as the two ladies left the back room and April Moon began to make them a snack. Applejack didn't say anything at first but merely sipped the bubbly pink drink April had made before replying.

"It nothing too serious, really, more like slightly embarrassing really," she said, twisting her ponytail. "Okay, this doesn't leave this room or get said to anyone else, okay?"

"You have my word, Applejack."

"Alright, the reason Butch not here and won't be around for a couple of days is his mother in the hospital to have her hemorrhoids removed surgically. He only told me, and I feel bad for telling you. But I hate lying. I'm honest, and that's what I've always done. I'm always honest to everyone."

"Does that include yourself?"

"Huh?" Applejack looked up at the woman sharply and in confusion. "Why wouldn't I be honest with myself?"

"Well, I know from both my niece and your friend Sunset you girls and Fledge have recently all lost your magic. I've my own theory about it, as do Sunset's parents, who have done their best to comfort her through this hard time."

"Well, whatever your theory is, I'm all ears on how you think you know how magic works and how you think something that shouldn't have vanished in the first place can be found again!"

"Applejack, I've learned much in my life, and I'm trying to teach it to my niece whose life I saved, and I try and give good advice to one and all. So I'm gonna give you some good food for thought," she paused for a moment to sip her own bubbly concoction as if really thinking how to phrase this.

"One thing you need to understand in life is who and what we are and the difference between that. And understand what is in our hearts can _never be taken from us._

I do believe sometimes we forgot who we are or do not realize what that means. And we must go on a journey of sorts to be reminded of who we are, and then we shall find what was lost in the first place when remembering who we are and what is in our hearts can never be taken from us.

And when we get lost, we need a little help reminding us who we are and how to find our way home. But we also cannot forget three important things in life that hold for everyone. 1. Use the gifts we've been given in life wisely. 2. be true to your friends. And 3 and most importantly, be true to yourself.

Because of those beliefs and that I don't act or believe in my relations' cruel and abusive ways, I was outcasted and disowned. But I was about to let Midnight suffered that fate, and I saved her, and now she's finding out who she is.

So the question is really Applejack. Do you know who you are, and are you being true to yourself?"

Applejack looked really taken aback by the young woman's words so much her hat fell off and rolled all the way to the backroom where Sunset and Midnight were coming out. Midnight picked up Applejack's hat.

"Hey, Applejack! You lost your hat! Aunt April?"

"Yes, Midnight?"

"We have everything properly sorta so when the charity truck comes tomorrow. Everything will be ready. So this will be one of your best donations ever! I'm so happy that all the friends at my new school love to help so much!"

"Well, that CHS for you. We are so giving and loving, and we support our community and all who need love and friendship. Guess you didn't see much of that at your old school, did you?"

"At an all-girls school that was as oppressive and demanding as Crystal Prep? No way! Head Mistress Chrysalis could be _slightly nicer_ then Twilight's old principle, but just barely. I was only treated so well because of my parents demanding sheer perfection, which meant I had to be better than perfect!

I'm thrilled to have left the school and also glad that I saved Thorax from my old Head Mistress."

"I thought you said she gave you him as a goodbye present. You said she had a dog that had puppies, and she gave you him as a goodbye present?" Sunset asked in a confused voice.

Midnight looked at her in a way that she should've figured it out. "She is not necessarily cruel but still demanding to her animals as they better win prizes at the shows or not expect much love. Like how my parents were with me?"

At least Thorax doesn't have to expect to win prizes or behave perfectly to be loved by me. He has to be himself, and his only purpose is to be my friend and love me and me to love him back."

"Oh, I see, so you've dealt with that kind of abuse a lot. Where is Thorax, by the way?"

"Right now, he's upstairs in the apartment sleeping. He doesn't usually come down to the dry cleaners when we're busy with donations and stuff. He knows he could accidently break things, so he knows it best to stay upstairs and not get underfoot."

"Well, speaking of pets, I need to get back to my farm and tend to my dog, and I'm sure Sunset wants to get to her kitty."

"Well, I won't get in the way of people and their pets. And we can handle the rest of this donation stuff from here. Have a nice rest of the day, girls."

"We will, April Moon. See you later, Midnight!" Sunset said, hugging her friend as she headed out to the truck.

"See ya'll and Ms. Moon?"

"Yes?"

"Um. Thanks for the advice. I'll think on it."

"That's all I ask."

With that, Applejack and Sunset drove off, with Sunset dropping off and her place and Applejack returning home to an empty farm. She got out of the truck, and all her troubles came back to her mind.

All the emotions, the augments, and lies she'd been holding in for months came back with the force of an F-5 tornado. She couldn't take it, and doing what she'd been doing for months to try and outrun her problems rather than be honest and open about them, she ran straight to her ATV and jumped on revving it up, and took off. Without putting on her helmet first.

She was going faster than ever, closing her eyes and hearing the voices in her head getting louder and louder, so she revved it louder and went faster, trying to outrun it again.

Then as if she had entered the eye of the storm, at last, the truth hit her head-on. It all came to her at once what she had been running from. What had caused her to lose her magic? How she could regain it. What her pony self had been trying to tell her. Everything, just everything, fell into place right there, and then the moment she finally made to the eye of her storm. But reaching the eye of the storm in her mind didn't prevent the dangers outside her mind at all.

She was going too fast and, in her recklessness, didn't see the danger till it was too late. She was going over a hill at too fast a speed, and when she made that leap, she was thrown off the ATV and hit the ground with the ATV toppling on top of her.

She lay there for a few moments unconscious, bloody, bruised, and needing medical attention, but there was no-one around. How could anyone help her?

Luckily there was a way. Sunset was in her room trying to read a book to calm herself when her crown acted on its own again for the first time since all the magic been lost, but this time it was giving off the sign one of her friends was in danger and telling her which one it was.

The minute she knew it was Applejack, she was already halfway out of the apartment's door with the girls already alerted and heading to Applejack's to help their friend.

Fueled on by both adrenaline and needing to help their friends, they're all at the Apple Farm in about 18 minutes and were looking everywhere for Applejack, and it wasn't till Spike called out to them he had found her then found her at all.

She was half a mile from the main house, unconscious and just trapped under her ATV. They're in horror and knew they'd to do something new and couldn't wait for 911 though they did call them.

Not willing to wait for the ambulance, they manage to get the ATV off her, and using the basic first aid they'd all been taught at school, they managed to treat what they could. But then something shocking happened just literally minutes before the paramedics showed up. A bright orange glow enveloped Applejack's body for a moment and then died.

No-one knew what that glow was about at first though they guessed what it meant later when everyone was at the hospital later. Applejack's family and friends were listening to the stupefied doctors who couldn't understand how Applejack wasn't dead or at least not with life-threatening injures.

Given what the girls had told them and how they'd piece together the accident, the doctors said Applejack should've had a brain injury and several other internal injuries. She should be in the ICU and a coma! She should be fighting for her life! Or worse, dead!

But no! Her injuries by all standers are minor, and she could go home the next day even! She's got a minor concussion, some simple lacerations, and a broken fibula! But that's all! By all accounts, it's a miracle! All she needs is some stitches, cast, and crutches and to be watched overnight, and she'll be fine!

The girls know it was Equestrian Magic that healed Applejack and saved her life from death, and no doubt somehow, her pony self was looking out for her human self.

But no-one tells the doctors this information. Instead, everyone waited till Applejack felt like talking and explaining what happened. One extra guess exceeded the already far exceeding limited number of guests, but they couldn't really stop it at this point.

The students and teachers of CHS had heard what happened to Applejack and asked Tecna to share with them via her web show that she was alright.

Applejack didn't mind being on camera and actually said she felt it was her time to be interviewed for the "Senior Year Talk" session. She told Tecna to keep rolling and told it was time she finally told the truth and was finally honest with her problem and why she had lost her magic, and what her problem was.

"Okay, Applejack, the tape rolling and your live to all of my millions of viewers. So tell us in your own words what's been your problem and how has senior year affect you and why did make you lose your magic?" Tecna asked as she hooked her digital camera to her laptop.

"Well, it started months ago when the senior year started, and we were really asked to think about life beyond high school. And many think about things like college, marriage, kids, jobs, all that stuff.

For me? I guess I never figured any of that would come to play. I never even figured that honestly would be an option to me. My honest thoughts and feelings were I'd always stay on the farm and live and die there, and nothing would ever change.

When I first started to ride my ATV, a gift from my boyfriend Butch, he challenged me to think if that was _honestly what I really wanted for myself._ Well, I admit it got me to start to think.

I start having emotions and thoughts I never had before, and it was unsettling, and it only got worse than the first day from my family all saying I should leave and part of me thinking that as a betrayal and yet part of me didn't want to leave.

I now know why I lost my magic because I wasn't true to myself or my element. I wasn't _honest with myself._ I was confused, depressed, and not sure where to turn or who to talk to. And afraid to admit I was scared of change.

I should've talked to someone about how I felt and been honest about my feelings, and then this accident wouldn't have happened.

But I do know I do have a choice in life, and I would like to go to college and make more of myself then an apple farmer, and it's not a betrayal, and that next time if something is bothering me, I'll be honest about my feelings."

At that moment, Applejack's ring flashed a brilliant orange, and she rose out the bed and fully transformed once more into her power pony form from Camp Everfree. Everyone was shocked but probably not as much as the viewers watching online.

But it was a sign of hope as Applejack was settling back down in the bed after the transformation lasted only a few moments, and she was normal again. It was a sign that if one of them got their magic back, then all of them could regain their magic back! If they could like, she did figure out what made them lose it in the first place!


	14. Kindness Problem Resolved

It was a very nice sunny day outside, which should match the Lucky Moon Dry Cleaners' moods, though Fluttershy seemed a little down in the dumps. She had stopped by to take a few of the extra donations that hadn't gone to charity and bring them to the rehab center with her.

She looked so depressed and miserable that April had taken almost immediately to her favorite table near the snack area for a private talk whilst at the other end of the building Midnight. Sunset, who'd driven Fluttershy to this point so she'd get the donations and catch the bus the rest of the way, were busying handling the business's actual dry cleaning with the help of Midnight's puppy Thorax.

April had given Fluttershy a mixed berry fruit smoothie and a chocolate chip muffin and just was silent, knowing from experience that it's better to let the person speak of their problem first rather than ring it out of them.

Fluttershy took a few moments eating her snack, crying a little before she eventually opened up what had been bothering her all these months.

"I thought I was doing a good deed. I thought this was kindness act I could do. I've saved so many animals that I felt if I could save a person, I feel empowered or something, but I feel like a failure and that I'm just weak, helpless, and useless. I shouldn't have tried to do this. I should've quit after the first day."

Pausing a moment to take a bite of her own muffin and look over the pretty but sad young girl, April asked her, "Why? Why do you feel this way, Fluttershy? You've been brave before, and your kindness again is what you embody. Why do you feel so beaten? I know a rehab center is a terrible place to be, and it's not something all people can stomach but surely there more to it than that?"

Letting a few tears fall from her eyes and using her pale pink hair to wipe them, she revealed what she never shared with her friends. "I've always been kind and caring to animals and made it my mission to save them.

I've tried to save this one girl Azure Skies since I started trying to be a junior counselor, but she's just so…unreachable. She's cruel, rude, and beastly! She calls me Ms. Moron, and I guess I am one. Because maybe I can't see the world for what is, and maybe I'm foolish to believe in kindness!" she whimpered as she let her face fall into her arms, crying.

Pausing another moment before stroking Fluttershy's hair, the loving, wise woman replied wisely, "You don't believe that or you would've given up and called it quits the first day, Fluttershy. You want to help Azure for a reason despite the fact she treats you like crap. You don't know how to help her, is all."

"How can I help someone who doesn't want to be helped, April Moon? I've tried every way under the sun to be kind! To be a friend, to reach and help her! What more can I do?" she challenged her through sobs.

"Have you ever tried being tough with her?"

"Huh? You can't be kind if you're tough. That's the total opposite of being kind. You have to be gentle, not be tough. You can't be kind and tough. It just doesn't go together."

"Fluttershy? What is Sunset's father's name?"

"Yin Yang, of course."

"Do you know what that means?"

"I think so."

"It means two things that may be opposite but complement each other. Like earth and sky. Day and night. Sound and silence. To be in balance, you need both together at the same time.

"So your saying sometimes being kind is about being tough but gentle at the same time? And that's how I can help this girl I've been trying to help all these months?"

"That would be my best advice, but how you take it and if you do it is up to you. You'd better get going. The bus will be arriving in 15 minutes, and you don't want to be late. Here's the box of stuff to go to the rehab center. Just think about what I said. It might help you."

With that, Fluttershy took the large box and hurried to catch her bus. As she sat by herself on the bus, she really thought about what April Moon had said to her and really thought back to what her pony self had spoken to her about when she first asked her how to handle it.

Fluttershy had a strange expression that was very foreign to her features when she arrived at the rehab center. She dropped off the donations where they belonged and headed straight to the room where Azure was still living.

She hadn't even made the slightest progress in the rehab program after all these months. She had refused to try anything to kick heroin, and in all accounts, Fluttershy's attempts to help only made her more defiant and more resistant to try and get clean.

When Fluttershy walked into Azure's room, the girl wasted no time calling her the usual nasty names, but Fluttershy looked at her with the stare that her pony self was famous for.

Then shoved the books that Azure was supposed to be reading and writing into her arms and told her firmly she was going to group therapy and she was gonna participate. This time she was actually gonna do her homework.

Azure cringed looking at the normally timed girl and now was scared of her, and this menacing stare of hers and the conviction in her voice only nodded.

During the whole day, Azure did as she was told by Fluttershy, finally opening up in group therapy about her feelings, reading up on her addiction, and doing the homework assignments. She even did participate in the equine therapy of trying to get a horse to lift a hoof, but that didn't work. But did do a sing-along for a kid leaving.

Though at the end of the day, when Fluttershy told her she had to clean up her room since it was a pigsty and she wasn't gonna clean it for her anymore and do all the chores expected of her, Azure finally turned to Fluttershy and was crying.

"Why are you so cruel? Why? I thought you were different? I thought you cared about me? Why are you suddenly like everyone else? Why are you so mean?"

Fluttershy relaxed and replied, "You've done nothing but show me disrespect and cruelty when all I've tried to do was be your friend and help you. Now that I've responded the same way you treated me, you want the kind, weak and feeble Fluttershy? The one you call Ms. Moron? Azure Skies, if you treat people like they don't matter do you think many of them will treat you back like you matter?"

"I expect not, but you? You were kind to me despite everything, and I just thought you cared. No-one in my life cared about me ever. I thought you were different."

" _I am different. I showed you kindness. Why did you reject it if you wanted it?"_

"I didn't realize till just now you weren't fake about it. You really did care. I thought you're just doing it because of working here. Even it's just a volunteer job. I didn't think you actually cared about me. You really care about me? Even when I treat you like crap, you care about me?"

"Yes, I do. Now you want to talk? Finally, tell someone what makes you hurt so badly you start to take poison to try and numb the pain?"

"Don't you have to go home?"

"Staying here and helping you is more important. My parents will understand," then, unzipping her backpack, she pulled out a bunny and put him in Azure's lap.

"Here, this is Angel. Holding a bunny always makes me feel better when I'm feeling down." So the two girls finally started talking, and by the end of it to Fluttershy, it looked like Azure was finally willing to try and get over her addiction.

Fluttershy was so happy the next day about her achievement she was practically singing it to the treetops as she rushes to the other girls to tell them about it. And hearing the commotion, Tecna came over and asked if she could interview with Fluttershy.

"Okay, Fluttershy, we're live in three two one!"

"Hello, everyone! I'm Fluttershy, and I'm here to tell you that sometimes it's not easy to be kind, but it is something we must all do. But it comes in many forms, and everyone needs it even when they don't realize it.

I set myself this year to help teenage addicts, and yes, I admit my friends and family were right. I wasn't ready for the horrors I encountered there, nor was I ready for the cruelty of the people I was trying to help.

I've spent the past months since starting to do this task. I set myself to help one lost soul, an Azure Skies girl, get over her heroin addiction. She was the cruelest unkindest, and the meanest person I ever met.

I did all I knew to be kind and reached her, but I lost touch with my inner kindness feeling like I failed myself since I could help her. But with a little advice that kindness isn't always kind in and of itself, I was finally able to help Azure last night, and I've got a feeling she'll finally be able to take the steps on the road to recovery to become clean.

And know I know sometimes being kind means you have to be tough at times as well. So yes, kindness comes in many shapes and forms, and so do I!" and then, like with Applejack, Fluttershy's ring exploded, and she transformed into her power pony form as her magic returned to as she was once more in touch with her element!

Two elements regained six more to go!


	15. You can laugh with Problems

Pinkie Pie was currently at the dry cleaners waiting for her favorite sister Maud's favorite dress to get done. Her sister was being honored at her geology club party and had asked her little sister to have the dress specially cleaned for the occasion.

Though this had been asked in Maud's usual monotone fashion, that was such direct contrast to Pinkie Pie's exuberant loud personality. Though it did seem the normally larger-than-life girl's personality had taken quite a beating the last few months.

As Midnight was busy finishing on Maud's dress, Pinkie was sitting in a corner with her normally bouncy curly hair slightly deflated, which was a telltale sign to anyone who knew her something was making Pinkie unhappy.

Taking a silence of chocolate cake with rainbow frosting out of the fridge with a chocolate milkshake and pink sprinkles, April Moon was trying to nicely get Pinkie to tell her what was making the fun happy-go-lucky girl so down and out?

Pinkie didn't even want to eat the cake as she pushed it away as if she was sick of cake and sick of anything that reminded her of parties in general. "So you excited about your sister being honored at her party tomorrow night."

"I'm always happy for Maud. She's so cool, and I'm happy she's going to a party that she'll fit right in at and won't be booed or treated like she's a joke…" she started to say and then blushed with embarrassment.

"Sorry, I just meant it's her kind of party, you know with people who like rocks and stuff, and you know don't laugh at anyone for some unknown reason when they try to make people laugh and they don't know why…ah!" as the milkshake spilled. She tried to clean it up, but April stopped her and got a brightly colored napkin and cleaned up the spill.

After getting a fresh milkshake, asked Pinkie Pie casually, "Did you get laughed at a party? Where embarrassed, and you didn't want to tell your friends about it?"

"Well, yeah, I was laughed at. I've never been laughed at before. People always laugh _with me, not at me,"_ she confessed as she whipped a big fat tear off her right eye.

"That must be pretty hard to take getting laughed and teased at and not understanding why."

"I don't get it. Honestly, I don't, Ms. Moon. I've always been the best at throwing parties. All my life I've thrown the biggest and best parties. Everyone in my life always smiled and laughed, and I never encounter one person who was cruel, mean, and well laughter was at me like I was a joke. I don't understand it!"

April Moon was quiet for several moments, trying to think best to phrase this to the poor girl who was, unfortunately, a bit too naïve for her own good. Trying to be both direct but say it in a way that Pinkie would understand. Hopefully, she started.

"Pinkie Pie? Can you tell me how old you are?"

Looking at the woman as if she was the silly one and had asked a silly question, she answered, "You should know that I'm the same age as Midnight. I'm 17 years old. Why ask something that silly?" she asked in honest confusion.

"Well, I wouldn't think based on the kind of things you're well known for most of your parties, you're nearly an adult. I mean, a party cannon that shoots confetti? Balloons? Streamers, cupcakes, to name a few things. That sounds like the best word is _childish. You're 17, not 4."_

Pinkie Pie looked completely baffled at what April was trying to imply and get her to understand, "What's wrong with cupcakes and balloons or what I do to make parties happy? And bring laughter? It's always worked! What did I do wrong? I still don't understand?" she asked still not getting it.

"Let me try a different analogy then. You know how each birthday party has a different theme for each year?"

"Yeah, every theme is better than the last!"

"Well, do you notice the themes change dramatically as you _grow up? From child to adult? That there would be a very different they say for when you're in kindergarten to say high school graduation?"_

"I guess a little bit," she showed her fingers a little apart, showing she slightly understood her, so April Moon tried to press her point instantly.

"Pinkie Pie, what I'm trying to say and what you need to understand people grow up. We get older, and things change and well, what made a party fun when we're at one age at another age looks well ridicules and silly when we're older.

It would be best if you were acting more mature and well, you're nearly a legal adult, and yet you're behaving like you're still a little girl, and well, that why people laughed at you. Since you're a child in a woman's body."

"So wait, wait a moment. Your saying me being me is a problem?"

"No, I'm not saying being yourself is the problem. It would be best if you were true to you. But rather your naivety _is the problem,"_ taking a deep breath April Moon once more steadied herself. Talking to all of Midnight's friends as she was friends with these girls through Sunset wasn't easy. Though giving anyone advice is under no circumstances easy.

"You're not a little girl, Pinkie Pie, and acting like one could lead to you getting into serious trouble. Therefore my advice is to try and maybe act more like 17 years old, not like your naïve child. Otherwise, you could get into some serious trouble," she concluded with heavy emphasis with her words to the pink-haired get trying very hard to get her to understand what she was saying.

It was tough to tell if Pinkie Pie understands the implications or the seriousness of what April was trying to get her to understand or just how much needed her advice was needed. And there was no time for April to ask her if she understood at all.

Because at that moment, Midnight came back with a plastic bag that held Maud's dress and said Pinkie didn't owe them any money as she was a friend. So she thanked them for doing them a favor and the advice she skipped out of the dry cleaners.

Midnight was quiet for about three minutes after Pinkie Pie left before she turned to her aunt. She only bent down a second to pick up her puppy, cradled him, and spoke in a quiet voice that seemed again like how she predicts the loss of the girls' magic.

"Something horrible gonna happens to Pinkie Pie tonight, Aunt April Moon. I can feel it."

"I've never doubted your ability to predict things, Midnight. Your parents may have dismissed your ability to predict things. I know when you feel something, I know your words are true."

"Sunset once explained to me about things that happened in the world she came from and about how ponies get their cutie marks, and for us, it's all these symbols worn. Mine would be this dark cloud and moon. Is this my talent still in the human world? Making shadowy predictions?"

"Well, my symbol seems to be my necklace of both the sun and moon. So I guess I'm balanced and see the light and dark, and with me giving and yet able to see all the world, I guess that means my talent is to help others see the light in the darkness."

"Either way Aunt April Moon both of us know tonight is not gonna end well for Pinkie Pie."

It turned out Midnight's predictions were once again true, so her talent did seem to be making mysterious predictions, and yes, her aunt's talent was helping others see the light when in the dark.

It all went down a little after dusk. Midterms were coming up, and it was gonna be a huge part of the girls' grades and really matter if they're gonna be able to graduate.

The evening was warm, and Pinkie Pie felt she would walk instead to Sunset place instead of driving, feeling she really needed time to try and sort out what was bothering her mind. She was attempting still to process like Applejack and Fluttershy had April Moon's words.

Though for Pinkie Pie and how her mind worked, it wasn't coming easy for her even though she was walking to Sunset's home. The night was cool and crisp, and she felt she needed a little air to clear her mind. She got distracted by the one thing she couldn't resist—a party.

Looking up from even though she was only five blocks away from Sunset's gated community, she saw a party going on. As much as she tried to fight her urge to resist and go to her study session, in the end, she failed to override her impulse and went to the party.

It was a house in a neighborhood she didn't know, but she felt maybe she could prove herself to finally 'act her age' getting into a party never was a problem for her, really. The kids let her in, and she tried very hard to act like a normal 17-year-old girl for once.

But trying to act like a typical 'normal' girl just wasn't Pinkie Pie. She couldn't just be like the other kids and, at last, exploded and began to act like her normal silly zany self, and the result was the worst teasing she had ever had in her life.

She was crying so much she just grabbed the drink cup she had left unguarded and drowned her sorrow quickly, and fled outside intending to head straight to Sunset's and was about to vow never to party again when something unexpected happened to her.

Her head was spinning as she started to feel weak, sleepy, and so out of it, she couldn't perceive what was actually going on around her. She wasn't really aware of what was going on when some guy was talking to her. She couldn't understand him at all.

She couldn't understand herself. Even she might have managed to mumble about needing to get to Sunset's since she was just in the very vaguest aware of a car but not truly aware of anything really going around her. She really wasn't able to comprehend she was being put into an unknown car by an older guy she didn't know, and she was completely unaware something was wrong with her.

What happened next happened so fast, no-one had time to take it in but just as when Applejack's life was in danger, the girls who were all wondering what was taking Pinkie Pie so long to show up got a full magical alert that Pinkie Pie's life was in danger and a clear image telling them where she was.

Running even faster than they did when Applejack had been in her accident, they're racing seven blocks southeast of Sunset's gated community to where her crown told them to find Pinkie Pie.

They were horrified by what they saw. An unknown car had smashed into a lamppost, and the cops were handcuffing a large 20 something tattooed guy wearing a do-rag, and there was an ambulance with a stretcher where there was someone being exam.

"PINKIE PIE!" everyone immediately raced over to her, and they almost kicked the police and paramedic's asses for trying to prevent them from reaching Pinkie Pie.

They're all looking at Pinkie Pie, who was still out of it, and they could tell it was just from being in a near-fatal car crash either. She looked very banged up, even with the faintest aura of Equestrian Magic glowing around her body.

"Excuse us, girls, we can see this girl is obviously your friend, but she needs to get to the hospital now, and we have to finish processing the scene. So you're gonna have to leave now.

If you want, my partner and I can at least give you all a ride to the hospital so you can be with your friend if that's alright with you?" a nice red-haired police officer offered, which the girls accepted.

Word of this incident got out even faster than Applejack's accident. Everyone at CHS was once again wanting to know what the hell had happened to Pinkie Pie and when the truth of what happened that night, they're all reeling, especially from what almost had happened!

The blood work taken from Pinkie Pie and talking to the guy whose car she'd been found in the story was a very chilling one that would haunt everyone for a long time.

What had happened was the drink Pinkie Pie had left foolishly unguarded had been tainted with the date rape drug Rohypnol by the same guy who had waited outside the house for her.

Once Pinkie Pie had been incapacitated by the drug, the guy who turned out had a long record of date raping girls at parties was going to do what he'd done a 100 times before. Throw her in his car, find an isolated place and well do the dirty deed and dump her someplace.

What he had no way of knowing was this wasn't your ordinary naïve girl he'd target. This was a girl who was blessed and protected by Equestrian Magic.

So exact, the moment he'd tried to do Pinkie Pie harm the other Pinkie Pie from Equestira, sensing her human self was in danger, had _sent her magic to protect herself._

That had sent the car into the telephone pull, and still, the other Pinkie Pie had protected her human counterpart and even healed her injures to the point they're not life-threatening, just as pony Applejack had done for her human self.

Pinkie Pie was right now giving a full interview of her experience to Tecna. She was telling her what she'd learned both about growing up, some serious dangers at parties, and that you can bring laughter into other laughs in different ways as you grow up as well. That things change as you grow, but laughter grows and changes too."

And with her reconnecting with her element and herself, she also ponied up on camera, and it caused her to let out a peal of long-awaited laughter they all needed finally! This was a great reason to party!

On the other hand, no one could guess that the future still held many dangers for the remaining girls, and Fledge had to face reclaiming their magic, and the danger was only going to worsen for them to find themselves again!


	16. Problems with Loyalty 2

"Hey! Are all the school uniforms done yet?" called out Rainbow Dash as she skidded into the Lucky Moon Dry Cleaners and nearly ran down Midnight, who was holding a lot of bags at the time.

Barely managing to keep her balance, the teal haired girl answered the rainbow-haired girl's question. "Sorry, Dash. We haven't yet finished with the soccer team's uniforms. It will be at least another half or 45 minutes.

I hope Principal Celestia isn't mad we're not finished with giving all the school uniforms and gym clothes a thorough cleaning yet."

"Nah! Principal Celestia is way too cool to get mad over something as petty as it taking a few days longer then she thought to get all the school clothing done. I mean it was a big order to get all the school uniforms and that _all of them._ Sports, band, the costumes for school plays and everyone's gym clothes are done!

So yeah, the fact it's taking a week to do them isn't such a surprise. She and her sister Vice Principal Luna are totally understanding. They're awesome in that way!"

Breathing a sigh of relief, Midnight wiped some sweat from her brow. "That's good news. I was getting worried. Um, would you like a quick snack before we start loading up your car with what is done? So you can take them back to the school? I know Celestia asked you to transport them back to the school."

"Sure, a snack would be wonderful! I'm starving with how much practice I've been putting in. You do know the Day of the Scholars is just around the corner, and I've been doing all the last minute practice I can. I've got to if I'm gonna impress Spitfire, the one who hands out athletic scholarships and get my only ticket to college!"

"Well, seeing how you've overworked yourself past the point of perfection, I'm sure you'll do your best, Rainbow Dash. I'm just hoping you do it fairly and square and not take any shortcuts to achieve your goal," came a motherly voice from behind a large rack being wheeled out of the back room.

"Oh, hey, April Moon. Don't worry. I've always done things fair and square. I'd never take a shortcut. I'm too awesome!" Rainbow Dash said in a slightly cocky voice as she helped herself to a drink and a cinnamon bun from the snack counter.

"Hmm," April Moon's keen pink eyes seemed to be really looking into Rainbow Dash's very soul, making the teenager very uncomfortable the way she was shifting.

"Um, do you need a hand with anything, Ms. Moon? I'm sure I can make things go faster for you."

"Some things are best achieved slowly and through hard work, Dash. Remember, it's important to give it all you got in life and know you gave it all you got even if it doesn't end in the result you want. Because you at least did your best and didn't cheat since you can never take back cheating.

Cheating is like a scar. It's always there. The scar of cheating is a reminder of the one time you're not loyal to yourself, and you can never turn back time and remove that scar since there no do-over in life.

You may be able to correct a mistake in life but the scar of cheating? That is something you'll see in the mirror for the rest of your life."

"I've never cheated in my life at anything. I don't know why you're talking about that to me when loyalty is my element. I know cheating is wrong." Rainbow Dash said in a slightly rude tone, but her eyes were showing fear.

"My aunt just pointing out a fact of life, Dash, and just using metaphors. Even if people don't do something, it's still good advice to remind them why they shouldn't and don't need to do it.

Even I get advice on things I already know since we all need little reminders at times. It's nothing personal and not implying you're a cheater, Rainbow Dash, it's just a reminder and metaphor is all." Midnight explained as she came back with another clothing rack.

"So that's the last of the clothes for the school. So let's load them up in your car. I see you need for speed since your parents gave you a fast car when you got your license," as they went outside to load up the bright red Chevy Corvette.

"Thanks for your help and doing this for nothing for the school. See you later, Midnight, and you too, Ms. Moon." And with that, Rainbow Dash zoomed off in the direction of the school in her Chevy.

But as she was driving, she couldn't help but think of what April Moon had told her and that her friends had all said the woman sage advice had helped play a key role in them getting their magic back. But how could that help her?

Still, she pulled into the school parking lot and just met up with Soarin, and they went returning the clothes to their proper locations throughout the school before getting down to the last minute practice for the Day of Scholars.

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but feel she was being watched and sure enough, Lightning Dust was back watching her again. Making sure no-one was watching, she walked over to talk to her.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, I've been watching you train all this time, and I've helped here and there, and I know come Monday is the Day of the Scholars. When all the scouts come and hunt for those worthy of those few scholarships. I know how they work, and so do you.

"I know how they work, yes. I'm not dumb. They spend Thursday at Midnight's old school. Friday at Crystal Prep and Monday here. They observe all students in all areas possible for a scholarship."

"Then a week later, they send a letter to the principals of each school to tell which students, if any, are getting scholarships. Now I told you before I can help you have a sure-fire foolproof way of getting a scholarship that will get you into Dreamstone and taking my place as Captain of the Girls Varsity teams.

So the question is, Rainbow Dash is simple. Are you really willing to risk your dreams on a mere chance or a sure-fire guarantee?"

"Umm… I…"

"I thought so. Here, this will guarantee you are getting that scholarship," Lightning Dust handed her what looked like a water flavor pack. Rainbow Dash looked at her in confusion.

"Just put it in your water and drink the whole bottle before your turn to perform. It will take instant effect. Your skills will be pushed past their zenith, and best of all, its totally untraceable because all the test think is flavor water power, and that's what it looks like to anyone watching. So no-one ever finds out."

"Wait! You're saying this is a…"

"Yeah. I'm not called Lightning Dust for nothing. I know how to make this stuff, and no-one ever found out, and no-one ever will. See you at Dreamstone Rainbow Dash. I'll be watching you win that scholarship. It tastes like raspberry lemonade, by the way. So I hope you enjoy that flavor for your flavor of victory! See you on the day of your big win!" and she disappeared quickly.

That whole weekend Rainbow Dash's mind was threatening to come apart as she had that flavor pack with her knowing what it really was. Wrestling with the choice in her mind. She was thinking about who she was, her dreams, and then remembering April Moon's words and remembering what she was.

Then on Monday morning, she realize what she had to do. Like how it all became clear to the other girls what their pony selves had been trying to say to them. Why they'd lost their magic and the words April Moon had told them Rainbow Dash realized this would be the biggest act of disloyalty to herself if she took that steroid.

She went to school earlier and went straight to both Principal Celestia and Luna and handed it in and told them all about Lightning Dust and her activities. That she most likely had done this before, and if she was who she said she was had cheated many times at the college, and she'd most like not earned her place at the college either.

They called the police, and Lightning Dust was arrested, and so where a handful of other girls openly admitted that they'd taken Lightning Dust's steroids and been cheating for years.

They're a full investigation into Lightning Dust and those involved with her. But that wasn't Rainbow Dash's problem to think about at the moment. Right now, her focus was to try and prove herself by her own skills with the rest of the athletes if she could fairly win a scholarship by impressing Spitfire.

She did her best at all the athletic displays the kids were tested at. Even though she didn't do it perfectly and made a few mistakes, she gave it all she got, and at the end of it, she knew whether she got the scholarship not she had done her best.

A week later, Rainbow Dash found out she got a scholarship. She got a personal letter from Spitfire herself, which she found very strange.

Spitfire said she not only had the skills of a true champion but also the integrity of one after hearing how she hadn't given into temptation had turned in Lightning Dust and done her best to win fair and squarely. Spitfire admits she doesn't just look for people who push themselves well with their skill but people who push themselves in the right direction as _people._

_She tells her that was made up her mind to give the scholarship. Not her athletic skills but her integrity and knowledge. She's not a cheater and is beyond loyal to her principles and true values. Looking forward to seeing her and knowing her personally._

Well, after getting that letter, not only did one Rainbow Dash frame it, she also gave Tecna a full-fledged interview about her experiences that resulted in her own ponying up again, showing she had regained her magic as well!

If only Rarity, Twilight, Fledge, and Sunset could regain their own magic, they'd all be whole once more. But what would they have to face to regain it? That was the daunting question what did they have to face to regain their magic?


	17. Generosity no longer a problem

Rarity had been on pins and needles for many months now, and none of those pins and needles had anything to do with her work in fashion. They had everything to do with a certain Italian boy who wasn't leaving her alone, and it was now getting very frightening indeed.

Ever since that culture party at the college, she'd helped Suave with Charismatic hadn't left her alone. She found at least three times a week love letters to her in the mail. He'd bothered her and Suave a few times on their dates, and now it got to the point she felt that someone was always watching her.

So right now, when it was supposed to be Sister Time with Sweetie Belle, Rarity couldn't really help but want to grip her sister's hand like she was a small child and not a high school sophomore.

Sweetie Belle was constantly trying to get away, but Rarity was firm and said she wasn't letting Sweetie Belle out of her sight for a second, and finally, Sweetie Belle had relented.

She and Rarity had agreed that Sweetie Belle stayed within Rarity's eyesight she wouldn't hold her hand. So they're trying to a sister bonding weekend, which had involved getting manicures, buying one new outfit each, eating ice cream, and doing karaoke.

Though all this time, Rarity couldn't shake the feeling they're being followed, and her heart was beating so loudly she wondered why Sweetie Belle didn't seem to notice it or realize how terrified she was.

They're just walking downtown with Rarity carrying the bags from Beauty Mark's Salon, where they'd gotten both their manicures and the new outfits and just felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She turned for a split second to look behind her and saw no-one was there. Sighing, she turned back and nearly screamed for Sweetie Belle wasn't in front of her and looked frantically around for her when she heard a familiar voice across the street calling her name and waving at her.

"Rarity! Over here! Quickly!" and Rarity bolted across the street and didn't even stop to catch her breath till she was safely in the dry cleaners and the door was locked behind her.

Looking up, she saw the concerned face of April Moon, whom all the girls were now very well acquainted with as they'd all spent time here as Midnight was now a good friend to them and had gotten to know her aunt somewhat already at the party thrown in celebration of the fact Sunset had lived and was adopted at the end of the previous school year.

"I saw someone watching you and got your sister inside here where she would be safe from that creepy guy. She's over there playing with my cat Shadow," she informed her before Rarity could ask.

Rarity let out a sigh of relief seeing her sister was playing with an adorable cat with silky black fire and bright green eyes were a crescent moon locket collar.

"Thank you, April Moon, you might've saved Sweetie Belle's life!" Rarity whispered as she peered through the window in even more terror. She looked dead white and as she feared for her life.

"What's going on, Rarity? Why is someone following you? What's going on? Should I call the police?"

"No! Don't call the police! They can't help, and I'm sure he'll go away soon. Yes, soon. If I ignore him, he'll go away," she was saying what sounded like a mantra. Obviously, she had said this many times, trying to convince herself this problem would go away, and it hadn't.

April, not wanting to scare Sweetie Belle, ushered the frightened teenager to the back room and then, unlike everyone else, gave her a strong pot of tea and made sure she had at least three cups before she asked her directly for the story of why is she clearly being stalked?

Terrified, shaken, and needing to finally tell someone about what's been going on for months, Rarity cried and came out in a rush, and she didn't talk in her normal fancy vocabulary. She just spilled it out.

"It's been so super scary! I feel like I'm about to jump out of my skin every second! I can't even breathe thinking he's right there! I see him always out of the corner of my eye and in my dreams! It's like a nightmare!"

"But what happened? Who is he? And why do you think he's stalking you?"

"His name is Charismatic, and he's a student at Dreamstone College. Months ago, I helped my boyfriend, Suave Debonair, with his new duties of helping students from other countries get settled into college and America.

I helped host a party to get everyone more comfortable, and while I found things everyone else had in common to make the party swell, there was one person who didn't exactly fit in. It was this boy from Italy named Charismatic. He was timid, and I was just me.

I was kind and generous to him and let him help me with a few simple projects hoping to boost his confidence so he'd be able to interact with the others in his dorm house and make friends at the college, but…" she trailed off, looking scared, sad and miserable.

"But it doesn't seem to have worked out that way, has it? He seems to become attached to you?" April Moon correctly guessed, and Rarity nodded, then gushed out what had been happening.

"He's been sending me love letters, texts, emails—all which I delete. I don't even open the letters; I shred them and throw them in the garbage. He even interrupted a few dates with my boyfriend, and now I get the feeling he's following me! I don't know what to do, and I'm scared to do anything!"

"Well, the obvious thing to do would go to the police," April pointed out what was the obvious and most practical thing to do, but Rarity shook her head violently like she was firmly against it for several reasons.

"I don't have much proof, and what if they laugh at me? And what really are they gonna be able to do? What can they really do to stop him? They're not gonna help me!"

"Well, they should be able to help you. That is their job to help people in this situation. Is there another reason you're reluctant? Besides the obvious?" clearly sensing Rarity had another reason for delaying doing what was right, and she did.

"I believe Charismatic trying to make Suave think I'm cheating on him, and I'm worried if I go to the police, he'll somehow if questioned turn it to his favor, and I'll lose Suave," her tears as she said this gleamed like perfect diamonds at the thought of losing him.

"Well, I still encourage you to report him, and I can't do that for you. But I'll drive you and your sister home, so if he is still out there, you're at least not vulnerable. But Rarity, please contact the police before it too late. This is gonna get worse, and I don't want to see you or anyone gets hurt, and I don't want to live with the fact I couldn't act."

"I'll contact the police tomorrow after school, I promise."

"Okay. Let's get you and Sweetie Belle home."

No-one knew that Rarity had waited too long, and she should've contacted the police months ago when this started.

Rarity was walking home alone the next day. Taking a different route home, hoping if Charismatic were following her, he'd be fooled. She had every intention of going straight home and calling the police, and finally informing them of the situation; however, she didn't even make it halfway home before it happened.

As she turned the corner of the fourth block away from her house, someone shoved her against the building she was passing, and before she knew it was kissing her full on the mouth.

She was screaming in her mind and manage to kick the person in the stomach to get him off her, and to no surprise, it was Charismatic. He looked very pleased with finally having tasted her lips.

"Charismatic!" and then Rarity used words that weren't right for a lady to say and that she would dare never repeat ever again as she screamed at him. Bellowing him at him that this has gone far enough. She was only trying to be nice to at the party, and this must stop, and she's got a boyfriend and never was interested in him ever.

Charismatic looks more in love at her while she's screaming at him, and more lust fills his pink eyes, and finally, when she finishes, she says. "You are so much more beautiful when you're angry, you know. Why can't you see it, Rarity? You and I are meant to be? You and me? It was divine intervention that we met. Can you not feel the powers that draw us together?"

"I don't care for you and never have! I was kind to you! I'm not interested in you! Now leave me alone!"

"You must feel it. I feel it let. Let me taste your breath again, and I'll show you again we're meant to be!" and before she could stop him, she was kissed again, and this time they weren't alone.

"Rarity!"

"Suave?!" she cried as she managed to get him off her. To her horror, she saw her true love watching from his car across the street in horror. He was clutching a bouquet of red roses and looking like the world had just ended.

"Rarity?! How could you?! You! You, of all people, cheat! I gave you my heart, and you just kissed another man! I thought I found my princess! Now I see your no different then any other woman. Just looking for someone to satisfy your needs. Goodbye, Rarity!" and with that, he tore away.

"Sauvé! No, it's not what you think! Suave! No!"

"Good! He's gone now we can be together!"

Rarity just turned and slapped him. "YOU RUINED MY FAIRYTALE! THIS IS UNFORGIVABLE!" and ran home crying.

Trying for hours to get Suave on the phone to tell him what was going on and that what he saw was not what he thought it was, but failing to reach him continued to break the grieving heart of a pretty girl.

Finally, Rarity made up her mind and, in a very rash decision, grabbed her car keys and drove all the way to the college and stormed to the dorm house and marched to the dorm room of Charismatic and pounded on the door yelling at him.

"Rarity? Glad you could come."

"I'm not here for you! I'm here, so you'll go and tell Suave the truth! That you've been stalking me for months, and if you don't tell him the truth and then don't leave me alone, I'm going to the police and having your demented ass locked up!" she screamed at him.

He looked at her and never seen her this enraged, and then he grabbed her arm, yanked her inside, shoved her to the ground, locked the door behind them, and Rarity took a moment to regain her wits and immediately saw just how obsessed with her Charismatic was.

Their photographs of her, sketches, poems, and paintings, basically his dorm room, were a shrine to her, and she was his goddess and muse, and now he looked at her like he was a predator and was his prey. And she knew instinctively what he would do, and her first instinct was to scream.

But he crazed with lust and obsession, plus he was stronger than her, and she was without her magic. She was trapped with all the windows and doors locked, and no realizing everyone else in the dorm was out, and no-one could hear her scream.

The fight was one. She was trying to do anything to protect herself, and he was trying to do his best to attack her and do the worst thing a man can do to make her his finally.

There were brief flashes of blinding light that would indicate that Rarity from Equestira was trying to protect her human self just as Applejack and Pinkie Pie had protected their human counterpart. However, Charismatic was so crazed with lust and testosterone he could even get through the magical protection.

Finally trapped in a corner with fear and knowing that her pony self had exhausted all the magic that could be spared between worlds, Rarity yelled one more time, screaming one name the name of the person she wanted the most. "SUAVE! I NEED YOU!"

And almost if on cue, the door was busted down, and someone came up from behind and surprised Charismatic and tried to chock him, and they're rolling and fighting. Finally, Charismatic was brought down when Suave hit him over the head with a lamp, rending him unconscious.

Rarity was crying still as Suave took her outside, and they waited for the cops and paramedics to come and just sat talking as they waited for the long twenty minutes it took them to come.

Rarity asked how he showed up when she needed him the most, and he said by the time he came back to his dorm room, he realized what was going on and that he'd not been very good at protecting her all these months from this guy.

Then his gut told him something bad was gonna happen, and when he couldn't reach her on her cell, he did a GPS search on her phone and found she was at the college, and he just ran faster than lightning knowing her life was in danger knowing what she had gone to do.

She whispers she knows her pony self wasn't even strong enough to hold him off, so he showed up just in time before the unthinkable. Then they notice a faint glow surround Rarity, and she smiles. "Well, it looks like my other self recovered enough to heal me some."

It seemed that the Mane Seven was becoming bigger and bigger news as Rarity, once she had a few nights to recover, was giving her full interview on Tecna show and stressing the point of getting help right away if you're being stalked. Still, she wouldn't stop being generous even if this had been caused by it.

Once again, reunited with her true self, Rarity regained her magic and ponied up as a result. That left only Twilight, Fledge, and Sunset to regain their magic by resolving whatever problem that made them lose touch with their elements in the first place, and once they'd solved that, they regain their magic.

Hopefully, though, it wouldn't be another life and death struggle!


	18. Twilight's Heart Restored

Twilight came with Sunset to the Lucky Moon Dry Cleaners because she was seeking both solace and advice. Seeing how it seemed a trip to this place had helped all their other friends, she was hoping it could help her.

Seeing how Twilight really needed comfort and help, Midnight flipped the sign on the front door to closed and even sent both Spike and Thorax out of the room to play out of sight so they could give Twilight their full attention.

Midnight and her Aunt knew this might be the toughest person they'd been in the group of the Mane Seven they'd to help solve their problem since it seemed to have become their job more or less to help the girls by giving them a clue to recover their magic.

But they're unsure how to help Twilight as her element was not well understood as the others were, and since it seemed to involve both her and Fledge, it seemed it would work better if both of them were here. But that wasn't gonna work at the moment.

So they had to work with what they had right now. Right now, April had done her best to whip up some good comfort food and get the best music playing to hopefully put Twilight in a somewhat better mood, so she is more open to at least talking about her troubles since that was the first step.

They did hope to have Sunset, her best friend and almost sister, to help Twilight recover her magic. But as her element was magic itself again, it was a strange thing. How do you recover the element of magic when you're not sure how that fits into the world of humans or how truly defined?

The others, you had a more clear-cut definition and a slight idea of what was wrong with them, but with Twilight and Fledge, a sense of the problem but not understanding how it connect to their elements of Magic and Dream. So it wasn't obvious.

Sunset tried to get Twilight to start talking about what she suspected was the cause of Twilight losing her magic. Her broken heart.

"So Twilight, how is going with dating others?" she asked, and she cringed when she asked this, knowing it was gonna upset her more, but it had to be asked all the same.

"Well, I only went out with Flash since he seemed logical as he liked me or rather the other me," as she stirred the straw in her drink without really paying attention. "Of course, that really didn't go anywhere, and after three dates, it was a mutual defeat."

"Well, choosing a boy who, like some other version of you, was properly not a very good choice when told to see other people," Midnight pointed out tensely.

Twilight sighed with a sad nod, took one bite of her yogurt, and explained what she did next. "I figured that out, so I thought to look for someone I might have something in common with and don't know who never met another me."

"And who did you end up asking out, and how did it go?" inquired April gently to the young girl who was so full of sorrow.

"I've always been friends with the head librarian at the Canterlot Library, and she did say her son thought I was cute, so I said I go out with him. I figured he's intellectual and likes books. We might be a match."

"How long did it last?"

"Well, April Moon, I found while Book Worm is an encyclopedia of knowledge and very good at school work, it's really all he cares about. He's very analytical. Facts and figures. No emotions, no sense of fun or humor. Wooden. No fun. Just all work, no play. Nothing but studying and books," she sighed, clearly unhappy with how that dating experience went.

"So clearly not your type, huh?" April replied gently.

"Maybe before I found out about friendship, that would've been someone I'd be more attracted to. But something changed in me. Or maybe that was never me. I don't know. I mean, do we ever really know what's going to spark attraction or not?" she asked the three young ladies aloud.

"That's the point of love, Twilight. It's been the point of love since the beginning of time." Sunset pointed out, and she looked confused.

"People think love is something simple and straightforward, and yet it's the most complex and most impossible thing to understand and grasp, and we will never fully understand it. Only that in its simplest form that it truly is the greatest gift and power that been bestowed to this world or any other," Midnight informed her, which only added to Twilight bewilderment, and April Moon finished.

"Love comes in many shapes and forms, and it's never sinning when its romantic form, Twilight, but the truth is when it comes to falling in love, you don't find it, it finds you. And when it's the love of the heart? It's the biggest game of risk and chance, but it's the one most worth wild, but you really only have to get it right one time.

I believe in true love, and I believe in soulmates. If there are thousands of versions of ourselves in many different realities, it wouldn't matter which ones met first if they all truly loved one enough for again you only need to get it right one time, and I think you and Fledge are meant to be no matter what world or what form. And it doesn't matter who met first or anything else. I think you both had it right the first time.

Tell me, from what you know has Fledge been happy since breaking up with you? Have his new dates brought him any happiness?" April Moon inquired to her with an eyebrow cocked.

"As far as I've heard, it's his mother setting them up, first with that upcoming actress Emmy who was pretty but shallow with a head full of sand. That didn't last more than three dates either.

His second dating experience was with a model named Venus, like she had the perfect body. She did all these different kinds of gigs and could speak different tongues, and was a vegan to keep her body better. But I guess he didn't like her personality since it only lasts as long as I did with Book Worm. Five dates."

"That tells you something?"

"That maybe we aren't seeing the right people. Anyway, his mom set up with someone new for a gala tonight his parents are hosting. It with some rich heiress to a rare jewel fortune, I guess. Her name is Pink Diamond."

"And what about you? Where will you be tonight? Surely not sulking while he's out at this gala?" Sunset asked her best friend/sister.

"Timber in town tonight. I told him I go to the movies with him. I figure there was some attraction between us. Maybe that what I need. I need to get ready. Thanks for listening."

"Twilight. I think you know where your heart belongs, and I think both you and Fledge know how to fix your magical problem. It would help if you listened to your hearts. To restore your magic, you need to restore you true dreams. That's the answer." April Moon kindly told as she walked Sunset and Twilight to the door.

Twilight looked at her and took a deep breath, and whispered, "If it was only as simple as you made it out to be," and with that, they left, leaving both Midnight and April Moon only hoping and praying that Twilight and Fledge would realize what they needed to realize tonight.

"It's gonna rain tonight." Midnight said out of nowhere.

"There will be a full moon too," her aunt replied.

"That will be perfect for a romantic reunion should they figured it out."

Walking back to Twilight's house slowly, Twilight and Sunset talked with Spike, just not saying anything, letting the girls talk between themselves.

"Sunset, why do I feel so strange? Shouldn't I feel happy that Timber coming? I mean, I did feel attracted to him when we're at Camp Everfree."

"Do you remember what also happened at Camp Everfree? _All the events?_

Who was the one comforting you when you're worried that Midnight Sparkle was gonna burst out of you when the strange events were going on? Fledge.

Who told you, again and again, you were not a monster, and you're beautiful? Fledge.

Who was willing to fight Timber to show someone loved you? Fledge. Who came to find us when we're trapped? Fledge using his new power? Who really inspired you to use your news to move the rocks so we could escape? Fledge.

Who really helped you embrace your magic? Fledge. And who did you run to when we defeat Glorious Daisy? Fledge.

And even during the party to save Camp Everfree, you went outside and danced with Fledge under the moonlight.

Twilight, you love Fledge, and you will always love him. No-one and no magic is gonna change the fact he's the one for you."

Twilight thought back to the events of Camp Everfree and before the events of them of the remainder of her junior year of how she and Fledge met and how she never felt the things she'd felt towards Fledge.

Still shaking her head, she turned to Sunset and said, "Thanks for walking me home, sis, but I've got a date to get ready for, and it's not with Fledge Dreamwings. See you tomorrow. Bye."

Unknowingly to Twilight, Fledge was getting a similar talk to him from his father and Helena, who basically said word for word to him what the three girls had just told Twilight.

And now, both Twilight and Fledge, as they got ready for their dates, could only glance at one picture, both kept by their beds in the same golden heart shaped frames.

Both picked it up, running their fingers over it, and looked at the picture. It was them right after their first kiss when they'd gone to Applejack's to watch a meteorite shower.

Sunset had snapped the picture of them, and the background looked so lovely with the stars, and they looked so blissfully in love. The frame had been carved into it. "My Dream My True Love"

Still, they put it down when their mothers told them their dates were downstairs waiting for them at the door, and they had to go. Though both glanced at the picture, and a small tear fell from their eyes as they left.

Twilight really enjoyed the movie with Timber, who seemed very happy to be at the mall watching a movie with Twilight, but her mind wasn't on the movie.

And Fledge's mind wasn't at all at the museum where he'd like his second date with Twilight where the Pink Diamond family was showcasing their collection of rare jewels to the public, and he was there as her date.

Finally, after both the movie and Pink Diamond got bored with the speeches, both Timber and Pink Diamond led both Twilight and Fledge outside their respective places and in the moonlight kissed them.

After the kiss, both their dates asked them with smiles on their faces if they felt anything, and both Twilight and Fledge both said simultaneously. "No, I didn't feel anything."

And both Timber and Pink Diamond were shocked and asked, "How could you not feel anything?!"

At that moment, both Twilight and Fledge had their epiphany and realized why they loved each other and began to say it both at the same time to their respective dates.

"When it comes to love, there is a major difference from the simple feelings of mere attraction or feeling of infatuation. There is a tiny spark, but you can feel it. Its tiny when it starts, but when you find the one you share, that spark with it explodes like a firework.

Then over time, it slowly grows, only growing stronger and brighter. Your feelings change from just simply attraction to something you know will last through anything. Both the pleasure and pains of life's delights and troubles. You feel like your heart has only been half, and the other person makes it whole." Fledge began to start the epiphany that he didn't realize he and Twilight were sharing at that moment.

You first have to make friends with someone and get to know them and know them for who they are. Not their looks or status but for who they are, heart and soul. See the beauty within. To understand why they think and feel the way they do. So their pain is your pain, and you know when they needed. That you don't even have to say a word, and you can heal them.

That you notice them when no-one else will notice them, that you can put up with them when they drive you up a wall, and even when you look as ugly as possible, they still see the beauty within. They love you for you and don't care about how pretty or rich you are or any of the stupid things people think matter." Twilight declared the second half of the epiphany, and then both she and Fledge took a deep breath and finally confessed why they loved each other so much.

"I want a man who loves me even when I'm the most unattractive wallflower who sometimes is too obsessed with books and schoolwork that he can remind me to let my hair down and have a little fun and teach me to dream and see a world beyond just textbooks and numbers. To inspire me to find out the true me inside."

"I want a girl who treats me like a normal person and doesn't see me like I'm some fairytale prince who will ride in to save a helpless princess. I like a girl who may look plain but can become a princess by learning to believe in herself. I want someone who can take pleasure with me and enjoy my love of fantasy and teach me about the world's real magic. Who will be my best friend before she's my girlfriend? Who's got a beautiful heart and soul." Fledge confessed his soul as to why he loved Twilight with his heart and soul

We want someone to help inspire us to become a better person, and we can bring out the magic within each other and have fun and enjoy having a new adventure, even if it's just a walk in the park. Just having fun and being ourselves and learning from each other a new part of ourselves.

I realize now that it matters not if our other selves met first and got married or have a child. True love is a rare magical miracle, and finding your soulmate isn't something you shouldn't let slip by. So if you'll excuse me I've got to find my true love and them they are the only one for me!" they finished together as they knew where the other be and they had to get to the other.

Racing to the school in the pouring rain with lightning flashing, not caring only about seeing each other. Their true love, their dream, their magic.

"Fledge!"

"Twilight!

Leaping into each other arms the moment they're in front of the Wondercolt statue, magic explodes into the air, clearing the storm away, and they pony up kissing in front of the full moon.

"I love you, Fledge Dreamwings!"

"I love you, Twilight Sparkle!"

"Never leave me again!"

"I never leaving you again!"

And the next day, not only did they repeat what they'd learned for Tecna show and about what they'd learned about relationships and true love, but them ponying up got the biggest hits yet.

Now only Sunset had to regain her magic, and they'd all be back to normal!

The gang was almost all the way back to normal!


	19. New Princess New Solutions

Sunset and Midnight were enjoying riding the trails around the stables, just talking about how things had done a complete turnaround from where they'd been back in the early winter to now as the end of the school year was approaching.

They slowed their paces so their horses Solar Flare and Nightmare, could catch their breath after racing them so hard and just began to talk about what had occurred.

"I feel like I can breathe once more, Midnight. Like I'm finally alive and truly a Princess! And the more I feel like this, the more I know my own magic is coming back! I mean, look!" showing her own ring was starting to glow brighter.

"I can see it is getting brighter each day as your powers of empathy is growing stronger the more your confidence is coming back. You should've not doubted yourself so much.

Didn't you tell me how Princess Twilight didn't know what she was doing when she first became a Princess? Or the other Princesses? Or none of the rest of the Mane Six when they first got the powers?"

Looking down the trail thoughtfully, she nodded in agreement, "Yeah, that truth. How is it you seemed to know more then you let on? Like I've only told you a handful of stuff about Equestira since we started being friends, and yet you seem to have this eerie ability to either predict things or kind of know things without knowing?"

Midnight squirmed a bit in the saddle and just shrugged before answering. "I've always been like this. My parents didn't know because I didn't dare tell them. After all, you knew what they were like, and I didn't want to be hauled off to a mental ward.

But all my life, I've been able to sense things. Most predict the not bad things, occasionally good things, and just had strong feelings about things. And know things without knowing how I knew them.

Based on what little you told me about Equestira, I can only assume that my talent of being some possible unicorn pony in Equestira, and I know you worried about telling me about Nightmare Moon like I'm some spawn of hers.

Which I don't think I am. I'm sure I'm some different pony who maybe makes strange predictions," she replied with a sorta disheartened tone.

"Hmm, it seems a little magic does seem to seep through here, and now I've learned when I first crossed over and was studying about humans. I know about comic book powers and other 'supposed' powers of humans," Sunset confessed about the research she'd done when she first came to the human world.

Then looked at Midnight and put a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder, and smiled. "I'd say your talent is still part of you in this world; nonetheless, I'd say you're a type of sensitive in this world. You would fall under the class of some clairvoyant for sure at least."

"Well, it a secret I've carried for a long time, and it was something I thought made me a freak and didn't wish to share. But hearing about you and your friends? I didn't feel so alone, and I'm glad we are friends now."

"Friendship means no-one is alone and differences are accepted, and that's what makes friendship strong is everyone is different. C'mon, I'll race you back to the stables!"

"You're on!" as the two girls were racing and laughing as they hurried back to the stable and the light of Sunset's ring growing brighter and when she got off her horse she completely ponied up in front of Midnight!

"Wow! You look like a goddess!"

"I can't believe it! I'm back!" as she powered down. "Thanks for helping me get back in touch with myself, Midnight!" as she hugged the girl who hugged her back.

"I guess it time you and your friends had a long talk about what you're all gonna do now that you're all back and better than ever. So what do you plan to do?"

"I think the lake the best place for us to get together. It's where we practiced and had our dates. Do you want to come along? We could also invite Tecna if you like since she also helped get us to get our powers back."

"That be so great! I've never been to Lake Parime, and it is fun actually to be part of this reunion! I mean, my aunt and I did help, and your right, so did Tecna since it seemed when you all spoke the truth aloud, it did help you all."

"Great! I'll call Twilight so she can type it into her Friendship Date, and it will tell everyone to meet at the Lake, and you can call Tecna, and I'll pick you both up along with Sunrise, and we'll all met at the lake this Saturday!"

"Sounds good to me! And just so you know, my powers tell me this will swell, and we'll all have a blast! Should I bring some snacks?"

"I say that's a good idea!"

"Great! I'll have my aunt whip up her best treats for all of us!"

Saturday couldn't get there quick enough for the EG girls and their boyfriends, who did try and double up in the cars somewhat. For example, Butch and Applejack picked up Fluttershy and Rusty. Rarity and Suave had picked up Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich. And Sunset had brought Sunrise, Midnight, and Tecna.

The sky was a pretty shade of forget-me-not blue without any clouds, the grass was super green, and the lake was sparkly blue. It was peaceful and tranquil. It was a nice place to have a few moments of peace and relaxation.

So they set up their large picnic that everyone had brought some contribution. Then it was just a bunch of normal teenage friends just laughing, talking, and hanging out.

Just chilling as they talked over a lot of tasty food about what their exhausting, challenging, and surprising senior year had been for all of them. Everyone had to admit that it hadn't been what they expected, and that went for everyone. Not just the EG but their boyfriends and even Midnight and Tecna as they shared their own stories about what this year been like for them.

Though everyone enjoyed the potato salad and mixed Jell-O, the girls and Fledge informed Sunset they didn't hold her responsible for what had happened to them. They realized, as her parents had told her, this was going to happen to them inevitable and had to face themselves to find their true selves. So no, they didn't blame her.

"I thank you for not holding me responsible for something I've been blaming myself for this whole year. Thank you for taking away my guilt at last."

"Sunset, it was never your fault. We were going to face these problems whether or not you're a princess, and well, I guess the toughest challenge is facing yourself and finding out who you really are and being true to yourself." Applejack confessed.

"Yeah, that's ultimately what we all had to learn this year, darling. Even if when we learned it, we are more or less had our lives on the line. But maybe being in danger or some very tough situation is when you are really testing yourself the most." Rarity concludes.

"But the point is we all past the test we faced and now truly earned our magic and know can be sure we'll keep it forever. That's the point." Twilight said confidently.

"I think that was the real test of our senior year. Seeing if we were worthy of keeping our powers after leaving the source of where they came from. So we each were challenged to face our elements, and we each lost them, and then we regained them when we found ourselves again. So yeah, we truly earned them and can keep them. So we are worthy of the Elements of Harmony and know the true Magic of Friendship." Fledge stated proudly.

"I'm glad you all figured out true wisdom on your own. My aunt always said the only true teachers in life and life itself and true wisdom are found within in. Not from books." Midnight pointed out.

"I'm glad this can go on my show as part of the self-discovery section that I've been doing all year since I feel like that the most important thing we all need to figure out. You don't mind if I use this, right" Tecna asked politely.

"You know we don't mind at all, Tecna. The more the world knows the truth that actually matters, the wiser and better off it will be, and hopefully, it will help others." Fluttershy spoke in her kind and gentle voice.

"Yeah, if we hadn't told you what we learned ourselves out loud, I don't think any of us would be ponying up anymore. It like saying to the camera really made a big difference." Pinkie Pie said in a serious tone to show she'd learned a bit as she threw some sprinkles in the air for a few mild fireworks.

"Looks like all of you have done some growing up," noted Butch.

"Agreed, you're not gonna be girls any longer, not after the last two events of your school year," Rusty pointed out in a casual tone.

"Yep, after the best party for senior's prom…" Cheese Sandwich started to say, and Soarin finished, "Then we graduated we won't be boys or girls. We'll be men and women."

"And then you'll be thinking about adult things like what the next step in all your lives. Like if your think of college at all," Suave reminded them, glancing at Rarity, who smiled at him.

"I don't think we have to worry about the college think, Suave." Fledge started to say when Sunrise finished.

"We've been talking about all year, and all agreed we all wanted to go to Fledge's family college, and there are several reasons for it."

"Yeah, even we're planning on going there for many reasons too!" Midnight and Tecna exclaimed at the same time.

There were several good reasons to go. It was closed by that they could live on campus if they chose to but still be close to home. The college itself covered almost any field you could ever want to major in. They'd already seen all the great things the college had to offer, and it was almost like a dream come true. It really accepted anyone. And most importantly, they could all stay together.

So their college plans were pretty much already made long ago. But there was the need to plan for at least the next event of the school year. The big one before graduation. Prom.

Needless to say, the school was looking to them to plan it, and they needed to come up with the perfect theme and how to execute it. So wracking their brains for a few minutes, everyone was trying to think of the perfect theme.

It didn't take long to come to the only theme that would be perfect. They all exclaimed it at once. "Equestira!"

It was the only one that is perfect and made sense. Equestira had changed everyone's life in big and small ways, and well, if they're going to send the students off, they needed to pay respect to the world that had changed their lives in the biggest way by teaching them the Magic of Friendship.

So quickly, it was planning on how to decorate the gym to look like different locations in Equestria by using some photos of Sunset and using both Twilight's computer and Tecna skills to make a program that would be able to make the prom photos somehow make everyone look like the couples had ponied up themselves. Then there was to think of the music and the food and the whole shebang.

Like the girls, boyfriends, and two girlfriends all sat by the lake, the magic of their friends burned brightly, knowing the Magic of Friendship had once more returned and was burning brightly once more!


	20. Prom Night

Prom Night is when many young people lose all common sense and spend a lot of money on an outfit there are going to only wear once for an overrated dance.

Nevertheless, even if it is an overrated dance, this was indeed gonna be 'magical' since there was gonna be real magic at this one! And all of Canterlot High was going make sure this was gonna be the Prom everyone was sure to remember.

It wasn't just the students or the faculty gonna make sure of that either. All the parents and family members were lending a hand one way or another to ensure that their children had the best night of their lives!

Tecna's mom Beauty Mark for example? She was having a special discount on prom dresses and willing to do all the girls' make up for free.

Applejack's grandmother and Fluttershy's parents were making centerpieces for all of the tables. Pinkie Pie's parents provided the building martial, and Rainbow Dash's parents helped the students build the props and scenery. Rarity and Twilight's parents were busy helping to keep things organized. Fledge's parents provided the money for anything extra.

Midnight's Aunt Moon was helping with food and creative design. The boyfriends were contributing too with their own ideas and family members.

So it was a group effort, and best of all, Canterlot was gonna be part of the whole night since it was gonna be shown live online for Tecna's web show so everyone could remember it forever.

Though there were other things for the students to do between helping set up for Prom, they still had to shop for prom and get the music and all that done and, most importantly, vote on a Prom King and Queen.

The music was already taken care of by the Rainbooms, who'd already made a complete disk of songs for the prom, included a song to play on repeat to welcome people into the prom called "Into the Prom, we must go."

The rest of the CD for the actual dancing part of the prom was their best hits that everyone had voted on an online poll they wanted to hear. So they're all on the CD to play. Their friend DJ was just gonna put the CD in and hit "random," and it was gonna play all night their best songs so they could enjoy them at random and not know what they're gonna get but still enjoy them.

Rarity was at least already taken care of both the dresses and suits for all the girls and their boyfriends herself, whom she didn't know but for the girls were the same dresses that her pony self had done for when their pony counterparts had gone to the Grand Galloping Gala! Though Sunset was an original design as she'd hadn't been part of that.

So the only thing that wasn't known to anyone who was gonna be the Prom Queen and King? Since it was between Sunset and Twilight and their boyfriends. That was gonna be the big question.

When prom night rolled around, it was indeed the most magical because the girls whose powers had returned full force barely got out of their boyfriend's cars before they ponied up! And it was transforming that enhanced their dresses to be even more enchanting then Rarity had already made them!

They're all literally walking on air as they followed the lyrics of "Into the Prom, we must go!" and posed for pictures and truly saw how well they'd done bringing Equestira to CHS.

"This is gonna be the best night ever!" all of them squealed loudly as they practically flew literally onto the dance floor, and everyone was already enamored with them and complimenting them on their dresses and congratulant them on getting their magic back.

Soon the first song on the Rainbooms Greatest Hits started to play, and it was "Friendship through the ages," and everyone started dancing, and the girls and their loves were dancing above everyone on the ceiling!

Truly there was never a more magical night for everyone, and unlike how their pony selves night at the Gala had been a bust, the girls' prom night was truly a night when their dreams came true!

Finally, the girls floated down to the ground to hear who was gonna be crowned King and Queen and Principal Celestia looked a bit confused when she read what the sealed envelope declared.

"Well, I'm quite astonished but also not really surprised at the same time. It seems this is the only year we have _two prom queens and kings._ It seems the school has unanimously decided that both Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle _both deserve Prom Queen's honor._ So that means _both Sunrise Aglow and Fledge Dreamwings are Prom King._ So will the four of you come up here to accept the crowns?"

The two couples were in shock even though no-one else was surprised as they expected this and were so expected of it they had made four special unique crowns just for all of them.

So shakingly and as if in a dream, the two couples walked on the stage with three of them ponied up and got four very unique crowns placed on their heads, and the unexpected crowning caused _Sunrise to pony up!_

Now the gym floor was cleared, so they cleared, so the couples share their dance, and the Rainbooms did not have come up with these songs themselves, but they had received a few songs from Princess Twilight, and there was the song she'd sung at her brother's wedding that they'd saved for the Prom Queen and King Dance "Love in bloom" for this moment.

And right at that moment, there was no doubt it was the perfect song and when the two couples kissed it was indeed for sure LOVE WAS IN BLOOM!

And the last thing to end the prom was the Mane Seven, all having a group picture with them and their true love all together both in love and friendship.

Making the night perfect in every way possible.


	21. Graduation Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aquamarine- Kathleen Zuelch voices Glinda Goodwitch

Everyone was super excited and finally felt they'd reached the long-awaited end of their journey. Since there was only one more month left, and they'd graduated from CHS!

Everyone was buzzing about it, just thinking about wearing those black robes, flicking the tassels, and tossing their caps in the air after getting their long and hard one diplomas. There was already a sense of melancholy in the air and the last month of school began.

The seniors were already thinking about what they'd experienced in their four years at the school and what their unknown futures would be like when they left, and there were just a lot of mixed emotions for everyone.

Still, with four weeks, that didn't mean they still didn't have a lot to do before the most important night of their young lives. The girls were currently talking about this as they ate their lunch outside by the Wondercolt statue.

"It's tough to believe in just four short weeks we'll be saying adios to good old CHS. I mean, this is where we met, and our lives were changed forever. It's like saying goodbye to a friend almost," Applejack remarked as she passed everyone an apple from her farm.

"Yeah, it really is sad to say goodbye to this school that played such an important role in our lives. It really became a part of us in a way that not normal. It like when we leave, we lose a piece of our body almost." Fluttershy offered a comparison as she fed Angel a carrot.

"Yeah, even planning the graduation party doesn't seem as fun as it should be as it's almost like you don't want to say goodbye. Goodbye is never easy, but even I'm really not wanting to say goodbye to CHS."

"We made some awesome memories and did the most awesome things that we'll be remembered here for generations to come. We're legends! Still, even if we come back for a reunion, it like I don't want to wait ten years to come back even."

"Darling, it's never easy shutting the door on one chapter or going getting the next. But you can't expect only to read half the book and not want to get to the end eventually even if it's hard to want to move past the middle."

"All excellent points. Maybe some things make sense when its only math and sciences when there only one solution and no emotions attached, but we aren't just a bunch of numbers and elements on the periodical table. We're people, and well, we don't just move on without feeling something."

"I've already left behind one world, and now I'm leaving another place I've become attached to, and even I've mixed feelings. Because I was one person when I first came here and I'm leaving a totally different person. It's just strange."

"I just started living by coming here, and now I'm really going to have to start over," finished Fledge wrapping everyone's thoughts for themselves.

Everyone took a collective sigh and then tried to think of something to brighten the mood and get them out of this mess of emotional turmoil.

"Well, I do have some good news," Applejack started to say in an attempt to perk up her friends. They looked at her hopefully. "Butch and I this Saturday are competing in an ATV competition. I know you're worried about me on an ATV since my accident, but I've been practicing, and I swear I'll be safe this time."

"Well, A.J., I was nearly killed by my own horse, and yet I couldn't wait to get back on her. Death can't stop you from doing something you love. It just makes you a bit wiser and a little more cautious when you're doing it. So yeah, we'll be there to cheer you on as you compete!" Sunset assured her.

"Great y'all! It's just what I need to calm my nerves and face my fears," Applejack admitted showing she was still a little scared.

"Well, I'm doing something Sunday that is not gonna be easy for me but hopefully will still help someone. I've worked so hard this year to help."

"Who's that Fluttershy?" inquired Applejack and Fluttershy let out in a quick breath, "Azure Skies."

"That mean girl from the rehab center? What about her?" the country girl asked, confused as were all the girls.

"She's not so mean once you get to know her here. After I gave her some tough love, I was finally able to reach her. She's been really doing much better, and this Sunday, she's finally leaving rehab.

I told her I'd be there when she leaves, and I'm going to make sure she's got one friend and supporter, so she has some to turn to. If she's ever getting the urge to go back to drugs, she can call me day or night, and I'll be there, so she knows someone there to help have the strength not to turn to heroin when she's feeling helpless, scared, or lonely."

"That's very noble and sweet of you, darling. We're so proud of you for sticking it out this year working at the rehab center, which honestly none of us believed you had in you to do."

"Well, Rarity, I didn't believe I had in me either. But I did it, and I did help save one life, and I'll stand by her forever to make sure she stays clean."

"That's again so righteous noble and sweet of you, Fluttershy. We're so proud of you."

"Thank you."

"Yeah, that's very good of you. I'm hoping I can do something that great one day too. I'm learning that I do need to grow up in some ways myself." Pinkie Pie admitted as she sipped her pink lemonade for a moment before going on.

"I know I'm always going to be well me, but April Moon was right, and I now know what you all were worried about back on the first day of school. That my silly childlike mind was gonna get me in trouble. And it did, and if my pony self hadn't been watching over me like they're watching over all of us?"

"Don't even finish that sentence, Pinkie Pie," Rainbow Dash. "It good we now know that our Equestria counterparts watch over us in times of danger, and they can send their magic to protect us. But let's not relive all the moments we could've died or worse this year, okay?"

"Agreed," everyone said.

"Anyway, all I was trying to say is I'm gonna try and be a bit more grown-up and not so silly. You know, still, have fun and spread laughter, but not be so childlike I won't realize things are dangerous. And that I can do things more my age."

"That's great to hear, Pinkie Pie! I'm gonna need a bit of cheer from you soon given what I have to do the weekend after next, which is both grown up and not something anyone likes," Rainbow Dash shuddered.

"What do you have to do, Dash that's got you so scared you need Pinkie Pie to cheer you up with some silliness?" wondered Applejack.

"I was approached by some legal people a few weeks ago, and they need me to testify in court about Lightning Dust and her illegal dealings with steroids and other activities, and boy, I'm so not ready to go to a courthouse and do something like that!

I don't even like watching cop shows or _Law and Order!_ Now I've got to go into a courtroom and testify? It's scary, and my words matter, and it's just well…"

"You'll be able to do it, Rainbow Dash. Don't let fear control you as I did with Charismatic. I had to give the police a full victims report and tell them everything so Charismatic be put into jail for nearly doing what he tried to do.

He's going to be in jail then deported. And as for Suave and me? He's taking me out to his favorite French restaurant to celebrate the fact that Charismatic got what he deserved and justice was served. Which will be the weekend after next."

"Well, we're happy to hear most of you are going to have good things happen to you, and some scary but positive things are going to happen to you. As for ourselves?" Twilight looked at Fledge. He smiled and finished for them. "We just are going to make up for the lost time."

Then all eyes turned to Sunset to ask what she plans to do for the last few weeks of school, and she just sighed and answered, "I plan to spend all my free time that I can with my parents.

I want to make up for the lost time in my own way. For all the time, I was a bad daughter. I want to enjoy every last second I have to be a good daughter before I graduate with them to make up for all the shit I put them through when they first took me in."

"Then we all know what we're doing. So let's do it!" declared Twilight, and they all high five, and they all ponied up from the high five.

So began the last four weeks of the school year. All the girls, their boyfriends, and the rest of the school turn out to watch Applejack and Butch compete in the ATV competition.

It was composed of races, tricks, and freestyle. All which Applejack excelled at and did come home with quite a few blue ribbons, and it really looked she had put her fear behind her, and she and Butch did get to sneak away for a few minutes alone for a good make-out session.

The next day on Sunday, Rusty and Fluttershy went to the rehab center to finish their last day of being a junior counselor. While Rusty was cleaning out their lockers, they'd kept their belongings safe in Fluttershy kept her promise to see Azure, who was leaving.

"Hey Azure, how are you?" she asked kindly as she looked at the frightened teenager who was dressed differently than when she came in so many months ago.

"I'm scared, Fluttershy. I've spent nine months here, and now I'm being sent back out there. I'm going to be sent to live with a cousin I don't know since the rest of my family members are drunks and abusive, which, as I told you, is why I would run away and do heroin in the first place."

"I know, and I know going to a new place in a new state is scary. But it will be a fresh start, and maybe it will give you a chance you've been looking for to really have a loving home and a chance to make a life of no abuse and no drugs."

"But you're not going to be there!" she turned a cried. "You've been the only one in my life who's been kind to me! My only friend! What am I gonna do without you?"

"Here, Azure, I wanted to give you something," Fluttershy walked over to Azure and slipped something on her wrist without the rehab bracelet. It was a bracelet woven with ribbons of azure blue and soft pink of Fluttershy's hair. And also woven into with spring green were the words " _Friends forever."_

"What's this?"

"It's a Friendship Bracelet. So I'll always be with you, and we'll always be friends. And here this is also for you," handing her an azure blue dragon doll with sea-green eyes.

She looked at the bottom feet where there were a phone number and an email address. "It's my phone number and email address. You can contact me anytime you want if you ever need me no-matter-what, and I'll always be there when you need me."

Azure eyes filled with tears, and she hugged Fluttershy tightly and whispered, "Thank you for being my friend and never giving up me, Fluttershy. You saved my life. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Come on. I'll walk you out here and take you to meet your cousin."

"Thank you."

And the girls walked hand in hand out of the rehab center in friendship.

Pinkie Pie was busy at the school planning, looking at the gym, trying to decided best with some help from her boyfriend how do plan the graduation party.

Normally those would be held at someone's house, but it was the school's tradition to hold it the day after graduation to have one last moment.

"What are you thinking, Pinkie?" asked her boyfriend looking at his girlfriend, who was trying to be both serious but fun.

"Well, I'm still thinking it be nice to have confetti but a hologram of the Wondercolt running across the ceiling. We still could've some colorful balloons and, of course, a huge cake for everyone and punch."

"And also to make it cooler for the dancing a mix of strobe lights alternating with spinning neon lights and the coolest music. Maybe some Rara songs?"

"That's great, and along with the hologram of the Wondercolt, we could've project at different parts of the gym random pictures of different moments of everyone's time at CHS.

We'll really need Tecna's help will pulling off the special effects of this, but we both can handle more of the normal party things. But this sounds like a good way to be both mature and my normal self at the same time. Right?"

"Totally, Pink! Let's go find Tecna and ask for her help!"

The next weekend for Rainbow Dash was still scary as she was dressed seriously for court and her parents were trying not to be their overzealous selves, and her boyfriend was there to support her as she was walked into the courthouse.

This wasn't anything like on the few TV shows she'd seen with lawyers, judges, and courts. The real deal was a lot scarier and more pressure as she was lead to the witness stand and asked to testify about what Lightning Dust had tried to get her to do and what she'd knowledge off.

It took every ounce of courage, and maybe some of pony Rainbow Dash was there to help human Rainbow Dash, but she did deliver powerful testimony, and once it was over, she didn't faint till she was back in the car and far from the courthouse.

If Rarity was expected her plans not to have a monkey wrench thrown into them, she was dead wrong. She didn't get any indication from Suave at first that something was wrong when he picked her up for their date to go to _Chez Paris."_

It wasn't till the valet went to park the car he got nervous and finally decided to warn her. "Um, Rarity, I have to warn you now of something."

"What's wrong, Suave? I notice you seem a bit jumpy since you picked me up. Is something the matter?"

"Um, I got an unexpected visitor today, and they'll be joining us for dinner, and they'll be staying for a couple of weeks," he said vaguely, but the way he said it gave Rarity paused.

She'd read enough of her favorite novel series, " _Shadow Spade,"_ to pick up the fine minute details of things. She could tell by how Suave's voice was wavering slightly, the tiny bit of sweat above his right eye, and the fact he was a touch pale that he was more than just scared of this person.

That whoever had come unannounced was someone he wasn't happy about and obviously was someone who was a danger to her in some way. This person must be someone powerful, terrifying, and dangerous.

He was very hesitant as they walked into the restaurant and were led to their table in the back corner that would've been perfectly romantic for a couple if not for the woman sitting at the table.

She was very well put together with her aquamarine hair pulled back into a sophisticated French pleat with very stunning but piercing cobalt blue eyes. She wore high-end designer clothes that showed off a striking figure, and her make-up was perfect, though Rarity could tell this woman had no need for anything for her skin as that was naturally flawless.

The woman didn't say anything as they approached, nor she introduces herself, but Rarity could tell Suave looked terrified of this woman, and he barely managed to do the introduction. "Rarity? I'd like you to meet my mother, Aquamarine. She's the owner of one the best luxury resorts back home in Marseille."

Rarity wasn't sure at first way Suave would be terrified of his mother dropping in to check on him. After all, he was in another country going to school. Surely she would want to check in on him. Her only child once in a while?

But in the next ten minutes, Rarity realized quickly why Suave wasn't happy to see his mother, why he'd come to school in America and why he was afraid for her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, at last, Miss Aquamarine. Your son is quite a charming young man. He's told me many wonderful things about your city and country. But I'm eager to hear from you what you have to say about your wonderful princely son."

Aquamarine didn't again speak for a moment. Instead, after only a moment, she picked up a glass of wine she had ordered before they showed up, sipped it once, then looked at her son and spoke low and in French, probably assuming Rarity didn't know French and didn't know what she was saying.

" _Donc, vous fuyez votre maison, tout comme votre pere m'a aussi laisse. Vous este tous deux partis sans un mot. Maintenant efin, deux ans plus tard je vou retrouve a nouveau?_

_Et alors, je decouvre que tu courtises une fille comme elle? Et je suis suppose etre heureux?_

_Bien? Qu'avez-vous a dire au sujet de votre trahison, Suave?"_

_(So you ran away from home, just like your father. Both of you left without a word. Now finally, two years later, I find you again?_

_And then I discover your courting a girl like_ _**her?** _ _And I'm supposed to be happy?_

_Well? What do you have to betrayal, Suave?")_

The words spoke with ice and plenty of venom. Rarity wasn't sure why she was saying Suave 'had run away' or 'betrayed' or that his father left his wife, but the next words quickly filled those blanks.

" _Maman! Vorte besoin de perfection et de rien, papa et moi jasmais ete assez bon pour vous! Vous voulez ce qui est impossible! Perfection! Rien dans la vie ne peut parfait que vous ne pouvez pas accepter!_

_Papa ne pourrait jamais etre le mari que vous voulez parce que vous voulez que quelqu'un vous adore comme une deesse!_

_Je ne pourrais jamais etre moi parce que ce n'etait assez bon pour vos normes impossibles!_

_Personne ne vous a trahis, Maman. Nous Nous sommes echappes a la liberte!_

_Je sais pourquoi vous etes vraiment ici. Eh bien, je ne vous dirai pas si papa etait capable de le blesser a nouveau. Et je ne vous laisse pas mal a Rarity non plus!"_

_(Mom, your need for perfection and nothing Dad and I did was ever good enough for you! You want what is impossible! Perfection! Nothing in life can be perfect, and you cannot accept that!_

_Dad could never be the husband you wanted because you wanted someone to adore you like a goddess!_

_I could never be me because I was never good enough for your impossible standers!_

_No-one betrayed you, Mom! We had to escape to freedom!_

_I know why you're really here. Well, I won't tell you where Dad is so you can't hurt him again, and I won't let you hurt Rarity either!)_

Rarity had heard enough and could see for herself what kind of woman Aquamarine was just from how she looked and talked and the few words that been exchanged. Domineering, controlling, perfectionist, and everything had to be her way, and it was clear nothing was ever good enough for her. She also now guessed given her looks, she was also very vain and likely narcissistic as well.

She could easily see why Suave had escaped to America and done all he could to hide from his mother and wouldn't tell where his father was hiding and never even told her about his mother.

Rarity was boiling, and she wasn't about to let this woman even try to put her through hell just to revenge herself on her son, who she saw as a betrayal for him and his father escaping her wraith by destroying her son's love life.

Steadying herself, she calmly looked at Aqua and said her perfect French, letting her know she understood everything that had just been saying a little threat of her own.

" _Si vous ne partez pas maintenant, je vais vous laisse partir." (If you don't leave right now, I'm gonna make you leave."_

Aqua looked surprised the girl spoke French, let alone was threatening her, and smirked and said. " _Que vas-tu faire pour me laisse partir, petite princess?" (What are you going to do to make me leave, little princess?)_

" _Si vous ne partez pas maintenant, vous regretterez, laisse-vous maintenant!" (If you don't leave right, you'll regret it, so leave now!)_

Aqua looked at what she thought was a prissy little fashionista girl, a pampered princess who was no threat, and her son only liked for her looks and laughed cruelly and for the first time spoke in English.

"Make me leave, _princess,"_ she sneered, and it was a split second later she realized she had made a serious mistake.

Rarity didn't even need to pony up fully. Her ring's power was not this time by her element by her love for her boyfriend since it was concluded their powers were drawn both by their Elements of Harmony and by the power of true love.

She unleashed a barraged of diamond force fields on the cruel French woman who couldn't at first believe she was under attack. The rest of the restaurant patrons were amazed at what was going on, and only Suave was smiling as this time around, Rarity was _protecting him._

She was able to control her magic and managed to get Aquamarine out of the restaurant, where she finally fully ponied up with Suave next to her, and Rarity made an obvious threat to this woman.

"If you ever come near Suave or try and find his father, you will have to deal with my friends and me _. Got it?!"_

And all Aquamarine could do was nod and, in a panic, get into the first cab that came and speed away, and Rarity powered down and looked at her boyfriend, who smiled.

"You are not a helpless little girl, Rarity. You may like the tale of Cinderella, but you don't just wait for the prince to save you. You just saved the Prince!"

"Well, darling, I wasn't about the evil mother to do you in. Now can we enjoy our date at last?"

"Yeah, that is if the restaurant will still let us eat!"

Laughing, they went back in and had their romantic dinner at last.

Well, Rarity may've had to save her love from his mother, but Twilight and Fledge did not have to deal with an evil mother. But they were dealing with something slightly unexpected.

They were making up for a lost time, yes, but they also have an extraordinary conversation. They'd borrowed Sunset's journal and were having a real-time conversation with their royal selves, all talking about what they loved about each other, just love in general.

It was an unusual thing, just all of them talking about how they were the same and different and giving themselves different advice and finding out how Dream Magic was doing, but it was enjoyable all the same. Finally, realizing yes, they're soulmates, and it would be the same no matter what world or reality they exist in, and it was true. You only needed to get love right one time.

As for Sunset? She was doing as she said, spending every waking moment she could do all she could with her parents. They'd done anything they could think of to spend quality time together. Playing music, games, painting, baking, meditating, hiking, watching movies, and seeing a play, roller skating, horseback riding.

Just about everything under the sun they could do as a family they did, and Sunset was doing all she could until her parents were exhausted and actually made her stop making suggestions and got her to calm down and just talk to them.

"Sweetheart, can you just tell us why we've spent almost nonstop doing all we can under the sun?" her mother asked three days before graduation after Sunset was trying to think of something else to do.

"I just want to spend time with you both."

"Sunset, we've done more than we could ever do. There more to do then ever can be done. What's really on your mind? You have rehearsal in the morning for graduation. What's going on, honey?" he dad asked her kindly.

She looked out the window and played with her locket and fumbled around with her disguised crown, and finally let it out.

"I was born a unicorn and yet spend my last four years as a human teenager. And looking back, I was happier as a human teenager, and at CHS then I ever was in Equestira.

And in the last two years, I received the greatest gift anyone could ever hope for. Friends and I've one friend, Twilight, whom I close to her like my sister even.

I also got my old wish from when I lived in Equestira, and I'm a Princess.

It's like I got everything I ever wanted, but with graduation, I still have many mixed feelings.

It's like how I felt going back to Equestira for the first time when I witnessed the birth of Princess Twilight's son Dream Magic. It was like for so long I wanted to be an Alicorn, and I want to go home to Equestira, and the second I was there, I wanted to be here home with you two and Daybreak.

And now it's the same feeling about leaving CHS. It like leaving home again. Because it's like where I found out who I am and found my heart's true desire," she told them, opening the locket to show them her friends and family.

"It's just really hard to say goodbye to a place that really changed me in ways I never knew a person could be changed. And even though I'm excited about going to Dreamstone in the fall and knowing I won't be far from home, I'll still miss you both. You're my parents, and I love you both.

And I just wish I'd been a better daughter, is all."

"Sunset, you're the best daughter in the world because you're our daughter, and we love you for you. Even when you made mistakes in the past, you're our daughter, and we love you no matter what," her mother told her as she lifted her chin to make sure she was looking her in the eye.

"No matter where you go, you'll always be able to come home to us. We promise we won't leave you as you promised you wouldn't leave us. We love you, honey."

Crying, she whispered. "I love you, Mommy and Daddy." And they family sank to the ground, all hugging with little Daybreak getting in there too.

Well, graduation rehearsals went well, and everyone felt pretty good, yet everyone just felt someone important was missing. Someone who should be here to see them get their diplomas.

The whole school wouldn't say who they felt was missing who they really wanted to see graduation. It wasn't that everyone wasn't happy that the normal family members and friends were coming to see their kids and grandkids get their diplomas. It just felt wrong that there should be someone else here.

Well, three hours before the ceremony, that 'someone or someones' finally came.

The girls and Fledge were all so nervous and felt like they're gonna throw up, so they'd gone outside to get some air, and the second they walked outside, they saw the portal shimmer, and to their delight, two people emerged!

"Princess Twilight! Prince Fledge! You made it!" everyone cried, racing to the pair, ready to smother them with hugs when Prince Fledge got in front of his wife and said, "Wow, slow down and not so loud we just got him to sleep!"

And everyone stopped short and took five seconds to realize cradle in the crook of Princess Twilight's arm wrapped in silk blankets was her son.

"Oh, sorry," everyone apologized and looked at each other a bit sheepish, forgetting in wanting Princess Twilight to come, she would have no choice but to bring her son along.

Everyone took a few moments to compliment Princess Twilight and Prince Fledge on their outfits, which had been made for them by pony Rarity.

Their outfits reminded the group of Anastasia and Dimitri from the 1997 movie " _Anastasia"_ from the night of the opera because no one could deny that that dress would still be fashionable today.

The only difference between Twilight's dress and the one Anastasia wore in the movie was Twilight was a sparkly light purple while Anastasia's been dark blue. But the jewelry and hairstyle were the same.

Fledge's tuxedo was the same one that Dimitri wore in the movie too. Their son looked like perhaps almost a year old as a human baby. They could tell he was in a nice baby tuxedo and with a head full of hair that looked like normal baby hair but matched his mane color.

"Sorry, we cut it so close," apologized Princess Twilight as she adjusted her son in her arms. "But you know how Rarity is with attention to detail, and then it was getting the baby bag full of supplies ready too. But we'd never miss this night."

"Well, it's a good thing you didn't since the school was hoping you guys come and reserved seats for you two in hopes you come," her human self informed her.

"We'll lead the way. Are you sure Dream Magic gonna be okay? A baby never went through the portal before." Sunset asked her.

"I'm sure he's okay. We gave him a sleeping potion before we went through, hoping that would help anyway. Let's go get to our seats," Princess Twilight replied as the Equestira Girls and human Fledge lead the royal family inside to the gym.

As they lead the way, everyone was crying, greeting the royal couple even though the girls were trying to point out Dream Magic. They'd almost made it to the gym when they ran into the one person who really makes this a very awkward situation: Flash.

They bumped right into him as they're opening the gym doors. He just got done leading his parents in and was surprised to see Princess Twilight.

"Twilight!"

"Flash!"

"Hey! What are you doing here?"

"I came to see the graduation. Congrats on you getting your diploma. You must have worked very hard to earn it."

"Yeah, I did. So how are things in Equestira?"

"Well, you know, solving a lot of friendship problems, saving the day, and just me and my husband dealing with a new baby is all."

"New baby…"

"Oh yeah. Isn't he cute when he's sleeping?" she looked down at the babe in her arms.

Flash looked down, and it was the first time he saw Twilight's son and was cute and adorable.

"He's got your smile."

"Thanks. I guess this wasn't something you're expecting, huh?"

"Well, you've only been here a couple of times, and you're just sixteen, and here it's well…"

The Twilight before him blushed and smiled awkwardly before saying. "I understand we both had crushes on each other, and we're both here teenagers, and here in this world, it's frowned upon to have a baby at this age.

Though you have to realize in my world? I'm in a different body and more than at an age to be married with a child. And you'll find a girl who'll be lucky to have you."

"Fledge is lucky to have you in both worlds, and this little guy is lucky to have you as his mommy. Thanks for coming to see us graduated Twilight."

"I wouldn't miss it. Now I've to get to my seat and make sure this guy doesn't get fussy before the ceremony. Lucky we did a diaper change before we came through the portal. See you later!" and with that, she joined her husband and went to their special reserved seats.

It didn't take too much longer after Princess Twilight and Prince Fledge arrived for the rest of the people to arrive, and soon all the students were seated, and the ceremony began.

There was what many consider boring things to go through. Long-winded speeches, some uninteresting songs, a few interesting awards.

But the speeches people did like where the ones that kids talked about the important things they had learned and a shout out to Princess Twilight, who had the spotlight turned on her family to thank her for putting everyone on the right track and bringing the school together and reminding them of the importance of friendship and thanking her for showing up.

They also had surprisingly two valedictorians since both Twilight and Sunset had the best grades of the senior class, and both finished with the same grades. So they both took part in saying a speech they wrote together.

At last, came the moment everyone had waited for the longest. One by one, the kids were called to get their diplomas from Principal Celestia, and everyone was so happy when they got it and flip their tassels and took their seats.

Once everyone was seated, Principal Celestia told them to rise, and everyone congratulates the class of 2017! And everyone threw up the caps, and of course, the girls and Fledge ponied up, and it was truly a moment of delight.

Then something like both a rainbow and a sonic boom exploded in the center of the gym, and everyone turned to the Mane Seven and Fledge, but they shook their heads, knowing they didn't do it.

The whole gym and all of CHS heard two young voices from the front row sound almost like scolding and in a bit of panic.

"Dream Magic? Didn't I tell you not to make a rainboom indoors when you get excited?"

"I'm shocked he was able to do that in this world, Twilight, and he's still just a baby!" Prince Fledge's voice sound more shocked than the scolding.

And that's how the Equestira Girls' adventures at CHS ended with a sonic rainboom!

The End!


End file.
